And then there are commuters I love...

I do see - and try to practice - random acts of kindness on the transit system, but as evidenced by yesterday's rant-y post, it's often easier to dwell on those who make a crowded commute quite taxing. And yet, yesterday, still feeling like a psychopath on my way home, I left my gloves and wallet on the subway. I realized as soon as I got home that my wallet was not in my purse, but I figured that I had left it in my office. A few hours later when I was about to call credit card companies to put my cards on hold 'just in case' - I got a call from a woman who had found and kept my wallet and gloves safe for me. I had in fact left them on a seat in the subway when I got off to transfer to the east/west subway line.

I met her this morning at her work place. She returned my wallet and gloves, and everything was intact. She had gone out of her way to locate my phone number (indeed she called the few numbers in the phone book with my last name), and even called me again this morning to let me know that her train had left late and that she would be a bit delayed in meeting me.

I'm so grateful for her actions. Indeed, three times I've had wallets returned to me, and once a cell phone. Most people are good. I would say I'm happy but right now I feel another bout of depression closing in. I've been in tears for no reason the last week. ah well, I'll try to get off my lazy ass and do some major cardio, and if that doesn't work, then I'll go and get my meds adjusted. In the interim, I'll think of this woman and remind myself that really there's a lot to smile about.

Daily irritants - what's your (in)tolerance level?

Today I work at my office in the north of the city. I don't mind the commute and because I'm going to opposite way from most commuters, I always have a seat. For some reason I am particularly crabby and wanted to scream at the behaviour of two of the people who sat near me. They weren't doing anything wrong per se, they were only annoying to me.

The first woman was eating an apple. I really don't like people who eat on public transportation, but oddly enough, healthy food eaters (yoghurt and apples/bananas/pears) are the ones that drive me to distraction. First of all, I hate having to listen to the sound of either crunching into an apple or that annoying spoon dipping scrape/scrape/scrape noise of yoghurt-eaters. Also, there is so much risk of spill and mess. Not to mention that it is revolting to have to endure apple odour when I'm trying to do my cross word.

The woman went two stops. She couldn't have waited four minutes to eat? I don't mind at all when parents give kids crackers or apple pieces - I mean, kids get hungry and whiny - but for the love of god, can North American adults not do without food for even a half hour subway ride? And if you're time is so pressed, stick to smoothies in well-contained bottles. Don't make me share your meal. I confess - I have been guilty of eating an apple on the subway but when I realized that no one else was eating and how really unnecessary it was, I never did it again.

Ditto for people who feel that the subway is a good place for personal grooming. It's not. I'm not referring to people who clip their nails on the subway - I think that's seen as universally vile. Today though, as soon as apple-eater got off the subway, make-up chick got on. I'm not adverse to a quick application of lipstick, but I hate, hate, hate seeing someone's entire blush, foundation, and eye routine. Especially the use of an eyelash curler.

Again, get up 10 minutes earlier if you can't leave the house without make-up or make use of your office washroom, but please don't force me to watch you root through your grubby cosmetic bag. I know I've ranted about this before, but it makes me crazy. Literally. I had to stop myself from screaming -Can't this wait???? I also reserve a special place in hell for women (and in my experience it's always women) who brush their hair on public transportation. Again, yuck. I don't want your hair dropping all over the floor. Of course there is nothing to quite compare to the couple where the woman was sitting meticulously sqeezing her boyfriend's facial zits [he had a lot]. They were on a bench right next to the food court at my workplace.

Okay, rant over for now. I'm feeling better.

What are your pet peeves of fellow commuters? I'm wondering what things are annoying to YOU. I think there are universally despised behaviour spitting on the floor, hogging seats, cutting people off (if in a car); but we also all have those little annoyances that may not be offensive to others.

Workplace haiku

Off to eat lunch now.
Will it be pizza again?
the foodcourt beckons