Snapshot of Two Seen on the Subway

They were family. And judging by their facial features, possibly, mother and daughter. Daughter looked to be about 18, but I can’t be certain she wasn’t slightly younger or a few years older. When they’d initially boarded and gotten settled in the subway car, the daughter (because the more I observed, the more she felt like her daughter) pulled out some headphones, put the connecting end into the phone, placed one end of the receiver into her ear, and gave the other to her mother. The daughter seemed quietly eager to share while the mother, seemingly more restrained, quietly obliged. 

Hearing the daughter’s laugh, a few stops into the ride, I glanced up to see the mother now smiling. Slightly turned in towards each other, both had been listening through the headphones while looking at something on the phone screen. Perhaps sensing my gaze, the mother looked at me— her smile still lingering from the shared experience with her daughter. Giving her a smile of my own, I turned my attention back to my phone. 

The next time I looked up was after the girl kissed her mother’s cheek.  Glimpsing the tail end of that visual, I saw her stand, say goodbye and then hurry out through the train doors.

On the heels of her exit, I found myself thinking of my mother and how much I love her.

Sunny by Bob Hebb

When I was around 13 or 14 or so, I heard a tiny snippet of this song on a commercial advertising a compilations of songs.  The snippet stuck with me. Got filed away in memory as one of those “random” experiences from childhood that gets inexplicably filed away.  Luckily the snippet also included the name of the song, and for some reason, I was inspired to search for it a few weeks ago.  I found it, listened to the whole song and then found this live recording of Bobby Hebb singing his song. So I share a song I love :) Good luck with all the moments that make up your today. Cheering. You. On.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ChZieeFVaBE

A Moment of Play seen on the Subway

Two walked into the subway car. A little girl, possibly 5 or 6 years of age, and her guardian— very likely her mother. And as the train resumed its journey, they stood, holding on to a subway pole, keeping close —a gentleness to their energy.  

At some point, they began playing a game. It consisted of the guardian teasingly reaching out with her index finger to touch the little girl’s arm, while the little girl tried to evade it before contact was made. The game was contained— the parameters of the playing space, narrow.  But it was obvious they were delighted and very much engaged. They looked to be of Spanish descent.

Sitting not too far away, I, too enjoyed their interaction, smiling along with the guardian when she succeeded in making contact that had the little girl giggling quietly. And smiling every time the guardian’s almost contact —full of teasing— resulted in the the girl tensing up in anticipation. 

They were having fun and making wonderful use (and possibly wonderful memories) out of their time spent riding the subway, getting from point A to point B. And I got to share in it :) Lucky me :)

Sunday Morning at the BBG

Spent the morning at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Saw a lot of dads playing peekaboo hide-and-go-seek behind trees with their toddlers.  I had a few laughs watching one guardian in particular trying to take a picture of his little girl. He had adjusted something on her dress and then moved away to get some distance to snap the pic. But as soon as he was ready, she walked away.  At another point, she sat down on the grass and he quickly moved into position to take the shot, only for her to decide a second later that she’d changed her mind by getting up and, again, walking away. Another father tried to get his toddler’s attention by banging out a tune with two sticks. But she was focused on exploring the grassy terrain around her. Glad I went. It was such perfect weather. Hope to visit more now that the weather’s getting a little cooler.