Went into Manhattan to run some errands. Picked up some Muppet figures for Kathleen. Also picked up an antique that Harlan purchased which I’ll be shipping out to him shortly (yes, the dealer could have shipped it, but it’s complicated, so forget it.)
Riding the subway between destinations, I spotted an attractive young woman, preparing to get off the train. As a mental exercise, I tried to figure out what her deal was, particularly since she was a stark contrast to everyone else in the train. Perfect hair, perfect make-up. Black leather boots with stiletto heels, black leather skirt coming down to just above the knee, a pink bustier, a black knit kind of sweater thing with a fake fur collar, and a short black wool coat. And I’m thinking, “Okay…high priced call girl, model, or actress.” Then I spotted her large purse. It was clear plastic, all contents on display. So I figured, okay, this bag cries out “Look at me,” so I settled on either model or actress. Then I spotted a Samuel French play edition in the bag, along with several sheets of white paper tucked in. Actress on her way to…a class? A rehearsal? Way too dressed up for someone who’s already got the job. Plus she also had a pair of sneakers buried in the bag. She was on her way to one place where she was trying to look dressy and then was going to dress down afterward.
Answer seemed obvious.
Basically, all this went through my head in about five seconds. And as the doors opened and she started to walk past me, I said, “Good luck with your audition.” “Thank you!” she replied automatically. And then she did a double take as she stepped off the train, her face a question mark. At which point the doors closed.
I like messing with people. It’s also a good writing exercise. Observing people, seeing how much you can discern from their outward appearance. Helpful for doing character descriptions in your own writing.
Elementary.
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