Perplexed And Nigh On Vexed

It doesn't take much to get me thinking a lot about something at length. I can get fixated at the drop of a hat. Still there are those triggering events which would have anyone thinking about what they had seen. Then also there are those things that I think anyone would be fascinated by but in fact only I would be, and I think they are of universal interest because I am that deeply out of touch. Some months ago I saw something that probably falls into that last category.

There I was on the subway in my favorite seat: the one which faces inward rather than towards the front or rear of the train. This has the effect of ensuring that I don't face backwards and get nauseous (as has happened), but there is the byproduct of compelling me to face another human being and somehow manage to not stare at them. It's a tough feat and I seldom manage it. On this particular occasion of such failure, there was this girl across from me.I still can't figure her out.

I'll just say what I saw. She was in the seat which corresponded to my own. It's a single seat which has two seats facing perpendicularly. Sitting in that single seat often permits you to stretch your legs or place your possessions on those other two, and she was doing both. A big guy came along and she rotated her legs off while moving her stuff. I wasn't listening as I had my music going, but I thought she was doing this because he had asked to sit in one of the perpendicular seats. Instead he did not sit there. At this time I turned off my music, and did so in time to hear her solicit a quarter from another man entirely.

That last bit cast doubt upon all that I thought I knew from my prior observations, and I began to wonder endlessly what was up with her. Had she sought a quarter from the other man? If not, why did he fail to sit there? Why indeed had she shifted over? There's only so much you can really discern from watching and listening, and the extent of what you can figure out from speculation is basically nothing. All I can do is wonder, and isn't that one of the most lovely qualities of humankind?