Simple fact – I love to people watch. Why I am not entirely sure – likely part perverse curiosity and part desire to understand how and why people act the way they do.
An excellent location for people watching is public transit. If, like me, you start and finish a given route, you can learn a lot about the people that board and exit your bus/subway, especially if you benefit from seeing the same people on more than one occasion.
Enter the mysterious mixed couple. One morning on my bus trip to work, the bus had filled to the point that no seating room was available. So, the next people to board the bus were bound to stand in the aisle. As it were, first a very attractive, well dressed, black woman boarded the bus and walked to the back of the bus standing in a spot as close the rear as possible. Also boarding at the same spot was a somewhat timid white male, also well dressed, who also made his way to the back and stood beside the black women. Nobody else boarded at the stop. This would have remained a rather unremarkable observation save for one thing – the white male stood right beside the black woman, close enough in fact to encroach on the personal space bubble of any Asian nation I’ve visited (read: he was practically attached to her). As I continued to watch, the two did not exchange words, glances, or show any other sign of knowing one another. Most odd indeed.
Ultimately, a seat became available several seats down from where the couple was standing and the male gestured for the woman to take the seat, and she obliged. A polite gesture? Not so fast. After she sat, he shuffled down to stand right in front of her – an odd action as there was no reason for him to move since there was lots of space where he was standing previously. All of this took place over the course of about 20 minutes, and at the 25 minute mark, a spot beside the woman freed up and the male sat down beside her. Again, no words, glances, etc., except for one telling action – the male reached out and touched the woman’s hand. She didn’t react at all. The interaction didn’t last more than fifteen seconds, and wasn’t accompanied by any of the other hallmarks of a relationship such as a look, a smile, etc. But, on the other hand, there was no resistance to the action on her part either, nor was there any expressed anger or frustration to suggest that a relationship make up might be happening. So what was the situation? Clearly a relationship was here, but what kind was it?
In the end, they exited at the same spot and walked off side-by-side, again, without saying anything at all.
Since that day, I have seen the same couple about five times, and each time a similar scenario plays out. They board together, sit near one another without more than a couple of words exchanged between, and then they walk off together in the end.
Interestingly, both wear wedding bands. Her is gold, his silver. I suppose you don’t have to have matching rings, but wouldn’t that seem like a given? Even if we ignore that small detail, and view them as a couple who have lost their mojo. Would it be possible for them to be so close and have nothing to say or visibly share in their time together? Just seems so odd!
So, my mind starts churning ….. an adulterous office romance? Perhaps more plausible than a couple missing passion, but this theory also has its weaknesses. If they worked in same place, they would likely know one another, and if another employee noted them together on the bus, would that not seem odd? Similarly, suppose they work for a massive company and wouldn’t have cause to know one another in the course of doing their work? That might justify them not talking on bus, but what of the walking side-by-side toward the workplace from the bus?
And what of the hand touch?
To this day, I am no closer to solving this riddle, and sadly I recently missed an opportunity to gather insight. Working on a work document, I had my head down for the duration of my trip in, only to wrap things up, pack up my stuff, and realize that the woman was sitting right beside …. the male a mere four seats down! DOH! I missed my chance to pull out my best Magnum PI!
But fear not, I am onn the case -- leave it with me people, I will figure this out, and of course will withhold key information so as to protect the innocent (or guilty).
My Two Cents For The Day … VB Out
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