Observations in the metro, number 2.

I saw this guy in the metro today, the kind of guy who makes you jealous. He was six foot, six foot one, nicely cut hair, a jaw that looked like it was sculpted by Michelangelo, around thirty years old; you know the type. He was leaning against the doors and reading a newspaper, completely oblivious to everyone around him.  He looked so confident and self-assured.  I was looking at him from my perspective: a man in his forties, five foot seven, a little short on the self confidence side.

I started to really look at him and I noticed a few things that began to change my first impressions. The first thing I noticed were his shoes: they were old and scuffed. His pants were too short and he was wearing grey socks that obviously used to be black. I wondered if he was oblivious to the people surrounding him, or if he was trying to hide behind his newspaper.  I got to wondering what he did for a living; does he like his job, is his job fulfilling, can he pay the rent? Does he love, and is he loved?

At the time I was wearing nice cufflinks and a designer tie, and my pants covered the tops of my shoes. I really like my job, which I find fulfilling, and yes, it pays the rent. I have love in my life. It got me to thinking how first views can be misleading. For all I know, this man just went through a bad breakup (probably because of his refusal to buy new socks), or he was unemployed and on his way to a job interview. We are so quick to appraise on first glance and make judgement. I mean, is this a nice guy, a horrible drunk, or a scientific genius on his way to solve all of the world’s problems? How can you tell? We all see the world through our own self prescribed glasses.

When I got off the metro at my station, I felt better.  I began to wonder what people thought about me when seeing me in the metro. For all I know someone, somewhere, is writing a blog about the short guy with the nice tie who stares at other people.