short stories

2

"The Sick Man on the Subway"

04:06:2015

I was sitting on one of the many paled iris benches on the subway, anticipating my stop. After walking in Manhattan for yet another entire day, my feet were painfully sore. I insisted on wearing my Doc Marten lookalikes, although my All Star Chuck Taylors would be much more comfortable. Besides, my fashionable boots came in metallic shades of maroon and black, much preferred over the faded charcoal or dirt filled mint street sneakers. I was definitely looking forward to a good night of rest at the nice hotel I was staying at, even if it was in the middle of nowhere in Brooklyn. As the ride dragged on, I noticed a man near me, aggressively coughing and wincing, hunched over. He had probably been coughing for a minute or two now, but it had not registered to my brain until now. The ebony giant in a textured, long sleeved mandarin shirt was definitely in pain right in front of my eyes. I contemplated two situations in my head- I could either ask if he was okay or I could just ignore him. Clearly, the two passengers on either side of him had picked the second choice. They didn't even acknowledge the man's existence, looking left and right and anywhere except for the bright orange pullover. It would be such a simple task to accomplish, to ask the man if he was okay. I would lean over and give him a single tap. As his head came up and his eyes focused upon me, I would say, "Hello sir, are you alright?" The simple question would be an act of reassurance. Then the idea came to me that the reassurance was perhaps not for the man, but for me. A polite American custom, not meant to be answered seriously. The one word response would surely not be helping the man. I was a mere visitor to the broad streets of New York- even if the man was dangerously sick, I would not know the first place to go. So why would it comfort me so to ask? When I snapped back into reality, I realized the man dressed in orange was no longer coughing. The train halted to a stop and the doors slid open. I had arrived at my stop.