I Love You… In Case I Die
Monday, September 22nd, 2008One of the things I love about taking public transit is overhearing conversations. Many people think they’re in a sound proof booth once they talk on the phone. They’ll talk about drug deals (one man bemoaned the fact that marijuana costs were increasing and his price sensitive customers were pushing back on the flow through price increases – he talked about hedging with marijuana futures which I didn’t even knew existed), cheating on boyfriends, and embarrassing health problems (requiring little blue pills).
Some commuters will try to cover up their conversations. Like this one…
A pre-teen girl gets on the bus with a bunch of her friends. She is dressed in a wife beater, ripped up jeans, and has a collection of tattoos and piercings all over her body. Clearly a tough as nails girl.
She gets a call, answers with a belligerent “yeah.” Short answers, short answers, her voice gradually softening. Her friends are chatting around her. Then she says clearly “Mom, I love you.” Dead silence from her friends. Rounded eyes. A snort from an Mohawk wearing girl. Then the cellphone girl adds “in case I die.” The phone is flipped shut.
A nervous laugh. The cellphone girl tries to cover her weakness. “I always end my calls like that. I love you… in case I die. ‘Cause we could die right now. A pole could crash through the bus windshield and take off my head.” She blathers on, each method of death becoming more and more gory.
But it isn’t convincing anyone. That tough girl loves her mom.