Dissemble
Eating raisins, I watch as he jostles an elderly woman while boarding an overcrowded train. He places what appears to be a hat on the seat beside him. As he continues taunting passengers, shouting expletives and making obscene gestures, I can’t help but notice how different he is today.
We ride the train together every morning with me normally getting off first. Some days are better than others. For instance, it was a smoother ride yesterday. Not because of his horrible performance, but because it was less crowded. I was also eating grapes yesterday. Today it’s raisins. Opposites, yet the same.
Approaching my exit, I stand clutching onto my briefcase, waiting for the train to come to a complete stop. I can’t help but stare, wondering where the difference in his behavior can lie. Can it be the raisins? Do I need to eat grapes every morning instead of switching back and forth?
After the train stops, I walk over to the mysterious passenger. "You’re a two-sided coin, never sure who I’m going to be riding with."
He just stands there glaring - no smile. Glancing over at the empty seat next to him, I notice there’s no hat, just a face, his face - the same, yet opposite.
I finally realize what can make a man seem so different from one day into the next. A smile forms on my face as I lean in closer to him and whisper, "I like you better when you wear the mask."
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