It's not polite to stare

Staring c.2011

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On Friday nights, I often go to Hollywood after work just to detox a bit. Whether its to eat a bite, browse through a bookstore, perhaps run a few errands. Riding the subway to Hollywood makes much more sense than to drive there. Everything I need is around the station, and I don't lose 30 minutes stuck in traffic and another 30 minutes looking for parking.

As you can imagine, there are some interesting characters and sights on the train alone...as well as in hollywood alone. Put the two together and who needs a book to stay entertained?

I had already finished my book earlier in the day, "The Castle in Transylvania", so I didn't have anything to look at other than my fellow passengers. When the train approached the next stop, a flood of passengers came in and a woman caught my eye immediately. Ok, I admit I liked her scarf. But then I noticed her sternum was sticking out of her chest. I turned my focus onto her face and sure enough, she was anorexic. I'm sorry to say that my first thought was, "I've never seen one in real life before". Maybe there was another explanation, but that was my assumption. Others looked at her too. She was nothing but skin and bones and didn't look like she would survive this year. She was well dressed and had some make up and it was clear she wasn't homeless. She sat down right in front of me. It was interesting watching standing passengers stare at her as she read her book.

Several stops later, a man with a tattered T-shirt and a guiter along with his two children came into our section of the train. He announced that he and his kids hadn't eaten dinner yet asked if anyone could spare any change after their performance. They sang "Help!" by the Beatles, which was quite fitting and sounded sincere. I found it incredibly ironic that they performed in front of the skeletal woman. I didn't have any change to give which saddened me. I do give spare change to people that ask, so I always feel a little extra sad when I don't have any change to give to those that actually do something other than just beg.

I walked away from that ride feeling badly for both, the hungry woman and for the hungry family, although it was for two very different reasons.