Cut the Shit

The Wink

My morning subway commute is always jam packed. It’s rare for me to get a seat within the first 4 stops and considering that my whole ride is 8 stops, I keep my eyes pealed for that person shifting in their seat, getting ready to stand up and walk to the door. I try to be covert about it and I quietly slip over so that I can sit down before any old or pregnant women catch on. Once I’m in the seat, I close my eyes, listen to my Ipod and shut the world out.

This morning, as we approached 14th street, a rugged, good looking, construction worker got on the train. I went to sit down in the freshly opened seat just as he went to do the same. Considering that I never fight over a seat with someone, I backed off and let him have it. He smiled and sat down. Eventually we got to Times Square and a number of seats opened up. I sat down and looked up to see the construction worker sitting directly across from me.

This was my perfect opportunity to check him out and to see what he was all about. I started with his work boots and moved my way up his carpenter jeans to the dirty Carhardt jacket he was wearing. When I got to his face, I realized that he was staring directly at me. And he was smiling. I briefly smiled back and looked down at my lap, embarrassed.

The subway chugged along and I sat there with my eyes closed. When I was one stop from my destination, I looked up to make sure that I was at the right stop on the route. When I did so, the construction worker was staring back at me again. And then he winked. Very nonchalantly, but with definite purpose. I held my gaze for a second and then I closed my eyes again. What the fuck?

When the subway reached my stop, I stood up and so did the construction worker. I walked off the train and he followed directly behind me. There was a shitload of pedestrian traffic and we both got stuck in line waiting to walk through the turnstiles.

“Hey”, the man said.
“Hey”, I said.
“You work at the school?”, he asked.
“Yeah. You?” I cast him a sideways glance, one of my best.
“I’m working on a building on campus.”, he offered.
“That’s cool. It’s cold outside today. You work outside?” I asked.
“Yeah. Had to wear 3 layers of clothes.”
I smiled.

We walked through the turnstiles and started up the stairs to the street.

“You want to hang out sometime?”, he offered.
“Sure. Why not?” I replied.
“Got a pen?”, construction man asked.
“Yeah. Hold on.”

I got my pen out and a piece of paper. He wrote down his name (Mike) and then his phone number as well. I thanked him for it and we went our separate ways.

As I crossed the street to my building, I looked back and saw Mike still looking at me. He smiled and I smiled back. Man, he looked good standing there.

All morning I’ve been thinking about the moment when Mike winked at me and let me know that he was interested. I would never have the courage to do something like that on the subway. But then again, I’m not a construction worker. Do I call him? Do we hang out? Does he rape and pillage me? Do I care?

It’s definitely a possibility and I’ll give it a day or two before I give him a ring. Don’t want to seem too eager.

But not a bad start to the day, eh? And who said that the subways weren’t made for lovers?