One Finger Salute

Part of me felt like I had made the right decision but I wasn't happy about it as I entered the subway.

I didn't need a beer.

I ended up standing in front of some disheveled guy who was wearing a backpack, holding a bag in his lap, a bag at his feet and a bag in the seat beside him. He made a move to stand up so I shifted to the right. He stood up and then stopped, standing right where I had been which caused our personal space to overlap.

I took a step to the right. He turned his back to me. I watched as he raised his right hand and rested it against his right cheek. His middle finger was extended but he wouldn't meet my gaze but he gave a lot of side-eye.

It was a dirtbag move and I wondered what his issue was, I wanted to engage him about his behavior but my mind kept going to my own personal issues.

The train was still making its way through Downtown Boston so riders were coming and going and I took the chance to relocate to the other side of the car. He was still giving me the side-eye until someone stood near him.

I watched as he shifted to face away from the lady next to him as his grabbed the pole between them. His middle finger was extended.

I then felt sorry for him, this miserable little man who can only express his feelings by not-so-secretly extending his middle finger to all of those who get close to him.

He was still herding his bags over two seats as I walked by him when the doors opened for my stop. I wanted to tell him that I was going to pray for him, not that I was actually going to do it but I felt that he needed to know that someone somewhat recognized his plight but I also still held a bit of a grudge and felt like it might piss him off.

But I kept my mouth shut and counted some of my blessings.