I've always been fascinated by what people do "in transit." There seems to be an mutually understood yet underwritten code that commuters follow in respect to one another in space and routine. When that code is broken, chaos tends to ensue in minute increments.
Last summer, I had an internship in New York City and had to commute in about three days a week, taking pretty much every mode of transport other than a plane to get there. I started to keep a journal of my observations of people and how they interacted. Regulars started to develop. I watched one women go from being about four months pregnant to eight, right before my eyes, on the platform waiting for the train every morning in Jersey. I started to develop characters, few of which had real names, in my head, wondering what their lives were like when the commute ended each day.
While the material would make for a great work of fiction, I've always been more interested in getting the real story. So, this summer, my goal is to try and learn something more about at least one commuter every day. I'm going to rock the boat a little bit, break the "code," and begin to establish some relationships. Maybe I'll even introduce some people to one another. I wonder how many people have been on the same commute for years and have never interacted. This taking place in New York City will be my ultimate challenge. I'm excited to get started!
(Here's a pic of me in my first car, Russ, completing the first daily commute of my life: to high school!)
