Look at Them For Me

Look at them for me

Look at them. The same people on the same train, day after day, week after week. So entranced by their phones, by their music, by every other possible distraction besides the humans sitting around them. Then there's me, the entire opposite. All I can focus on is them. Skater Guy sits beside me every day, always the last one on the train. I hear the skid of his board as he comes to a halt, kicks it up into his hands and slips through right as the doors close. At first, he would pause for some time before sliding into the seat beside me, sitting as far off as possible, listening to his music incredibly loud. However, over the past year his entrance happens much more smoothly. Now he sits comfortably beside me and does not even flinch when Sadie changes positions and leans against his leg.  

         The twins sit down the aisle with their mother. I imagine them to be around eight years old by now, them and their mother being my longest consistent companions on the train. I’ve listened to them grow up, once energetic, constantly laughing, and getting scolded by their mother for causing too much noise or for trying to pet Sadie without my notice. Now though, they're just two more seats filled by the sounds of tapping games and reality youtubers. 

         The rest of the train is the same, I’ve been here long enough to see hundreds of faces come and go over the years, dozens of children grow up to become robots and even a few robots try to break the status quo only to be shamed back into the technologically obsessed silence. 

       Today, just like yesterday I feel the train start to slow, hear the brakes screeching against the rails and I know this is my stop. People start to crowd the doors and as soon as they open everyone pours through the small hole in a hurry to get on with their lives, as if they’ll do anything differently outside of this moving tunnel.  

Eventually, as the crowd thins, Sadie and I stand up and move towards the exit, occasionally on extra crowded days I’ll notice Skater Guy slide his board in between the doors so they don’t dare close too early. It’s appreciated highly by Sadie who’s cut it close one too many times for our comfort.

  We walk down the noisy streets, taking our time as people storm by carelessly, always in a hurry. I come from a small town and the streets of the city took years for me to get used to, but now I follow right behind Sadie as she weaves in out of the onslaught of fellow pedestrians. We have memorized our way down the streets and perfected our timing so that we’re always able to stop for a second before the cross lights change. We’ve determined that trying to cross the street in the middle of the light is just too dangerous, too many people come sprinting from in front and behind trying to make that timer before the cars start breezing past again.

         In no time we make our way into our office building. “Good morning, John!” I say as Sadie walks straight through the door. “Good morning, Mr. Watkins, Good morning, Sadie!” He chimes back. We make our way through the office greeting those in our path. It’s our favorite part of the day, walking in and hearing the smiles on people’s faces as we greet them and the day before us.

        Today, just like every other day I have a seat and give Sadie a treat before unhooking her, signaling to her that she’s free to roam the floor. My assistant Diane comes in and gives me a briefing on the day ahead and we get to work. Just like any other office job the next eight hours are filled with phone call after phone call, meetings, greetings, and responding to emails. 

       Thankfully, the day goes by rather quickly and four o’clock comes by before I know it. When my alarm goes off I close my laptop, I’ve instituted a strict policy in this building. “Evening traffic starts at five, so leave at four and get out alive.” I call for Sadie and she comes up and licks my hand. Once hooked back up we leave my desk and say our goodbyes to the office.

       On Friday’s Sadie and I take some special time to ourselves, we hop on a different train than we arrived on, heading out of the city. Off the train the park is only a half hour walk from the station, and the walk here goes by much more smoothly than in the city. The people here walk slower, they’re calmer. I guess that comes with the less dense population and cleaner air.  

Today, we stop by a local coffee shop for a dose of caffeine and good conversation. It’s been years since I stepped foot into a coffee shop in the city. City coffee shops are so full of strong espresso and structure, the opposite of this suburb coffee shop. This café smells strongly of skill and syrup. The baristas take their time. They seem to have fun with it, from the laughs when they mess up to the out of the blue suggestions “What if we added a little blueberry to this Mike?” It’s worth mentioning, they’ve never steered me wrong yet. Even if they had I don’t know I would’ve noticed. I’ve learned to like the little imperfections in life, and coming here reminds me of that, it helps wind down after a busy work week filled with structure and deadlines. But like with all things we must move along. After enjoying her cup of whip cream Sadie leads the way out the door.

  At the park, she and I walk around for some time before sitting down on our favorite bench beside the water. Once at home, I’ll take Sadie’s vest off and we’ll both go our separate ways for the night. I don’t work while I’m at home, I deem it only fair she gets the same respect. But for now, we’ll sit side by side while I embrace the silence and look at nature in the only way I can, with everything but my eyes.