I use public transportation to get to and from work. It is much more relaxing than driving, however it also means I must put up with the occassional jerk. I admit that I am not always very thoughtful about other travelers. About a year ago I got my comeuppance.
I was on my way to work on a Metro train. I am an investment banker, and was dressed for work: blue pin stripe suit, starched white shirt, silk tie, suspenders, polished tassled loafers, hundred dollar haircut, dressed to the nines: I thought I looked pretty good.
I was sitting with my legs crossed, and my work stretched out without a lot of regard for the person seated next to me. The other man was an old guy, small and skinny and dressed kind of shabbily, who was getting annoyed at being tapped with the bottom of the polished shoe from the thoughtless Master of the Universe with the crossed legs next to him.
The train was very crowded, and when the old man was ready to exit the train, he excused himself and stood. I didn't even didn't even bother to stand to let him out - I was too involved in my work. I simply shifted in my seat, with my legs still crossed.
As he exited, the old man suddenly took the offending tassled loafer from my extended foot. Then he reached under the tailored cuff of my suit and yanked off my black dress sock. I was thrown a little off-balance, and the train was so crowded that I didn't even realize what was happening. In a second he was out the door, and I only fully realized what he did after the doors had closed and I could do nothing about it. So there I sat, in my $1500 suit, monogrammed cufflinks, and $100 tie, wearing only one very expensive shoe and one business sock, staring at my still-extended (now bare) foot, turning crimson and purple.
Several other people laughed their heads off, who witnessed this. I was smart enough not to look for sympathy from any of them. As I looked outside, I saw the old man holding up the stolen shoe and the sock like a hunter holding up a trophy.
Have you ever seen a man in a suit and tie, and barefoot? It's a ridiculous sight. To top it off, a man I would have thought was a homeless bum took pity on me, and handed me a pair of plastic flip-flops, telling me I "needed them more than he did." I took off and threw away the remaining shoe and sock, and eventually left the train wearing the flip-flops - not the most dignified sight.
Since then, I have been a lot more humble about how I treat other people on trains - and I usually wear wingtips.
I was on my way to work on a Metro train. I am an investment banker, and was dressed for work: blue pin stripe suit, starched white shirt, silk tie, suspenders, polished tassled loafers, hundred dollar haircut, dressed to the nines: I thought I looked pretty good.
I was sitting with my legs crossed, and my work stretched out without a lot of regard for the person seated next to me. The other man was an old guy, small and skinny and dressed kind of shabbily, who was getting annoyed at being tapped with the bottom of the polished shoe from the thoughtless Master of the Universe with the crossed legs next to him.
The train was very crowded, and when the old man was ready to exit the train, he excused himself and stood. I didn't even didn't even bother to stand to let him out - I was too involved in my work. I simply shifted in my seat, with my legs still crossed.
As he exited, the old man suddenly took the offending tassled loafer from my extended foot. Then he reached under the tailored cuff of my suit and yanked off my black dress sock. I was thrown a little off-balance, and the train was so crowded that I didn't even realize what was happening. In a second he was out the door, and I only fully realized what he did after the doors had closed and I could do nothing about it. So there I sat, in my $1500 suit, monogrammed cufflinks, and $100 tie, wearing only one very expensive shoe and one business sock, staring at my still-extended (now bare) foot, turning crimson and purple.
Several other people laughed their heads off, who witnessed this. I was smart enough not to look for sympathy from any of them. As I looked outside, I saw the old man holding up the stolen shoe and the sock like a hunter holding up a trophy.
Have you ever seen a man in a suit and tie, and barefoot? It's a ridiculous sight. To top it off, a man I would have thought was a homeless bum took pity on me, and handed me a pair of plastic flip-flops, telling me I "needed them more than he did." I took off and threw away the remaining shoe and sock, and eventually left the train wearing the flip-flops - not the most dignified sight.
Since then, I have been a lot more humble about how I treat other people on trains - and I usually wear wingtips.
