Today I went down to take a subway to Elmhurst to go eat some Malaysian food. When I arrived, all the trains were running local, and two trains were waiting and accepting passengers. I went to the one on the express track, when it informed me that the other train would be leaving first. So I quickly move across the platform to the other train, only to be confronted with a loud sermon by one of those annoying subway preachers.
As an aside, the demographics of those preachers are quite curious. All of them are older Jamaican women. I've never seen a male preacher, a white preacher, or in fact even a non-Jamaican preacher. However, within that demographic range, some of them sit mostly quietly, sometimes letting out a few loud sentences of "praise". Some stand and preach, and one in particular is just batshit crazy, screaming "Praise Jesus!" while running up and down the subway car with her arms flailing wildly. I've encountered her about three or four times so far.
This one was one of the normal ones, which means that she was completely obnoxious without actually being scary. So as I jump in the subway car, notice a loudly talking Jamaican woman, hear a few words and decide it's not worth it. I jump back out again while I hear the announcement that the doors are about to close. I run over to the next car and get in, much relieved.
A few minutes later, someone announces their presence, asking for money. At least I assume that is what they are asking for, this guy's voice is so slurred I can't make out any words. So I do what I normally do in these situations, which is continue to read my book. The man stops by me, asks me for money (I think that's what he said), and when I said no, he gets mad at me and says something. I would have been a little concerned or freaked out, but I couldn't understand a word he said to me. I just looked at him and resumed reading my book. He traveled to the end of the subway car, and went through the door between the cars, and entered the same car that the subway preacher was in.
Now this is an interesting situation. I've never seen two people do their shticks at the same time in the same car. What would happen? Would this guy just pass on through, not interrupting the Jesus-woman? Or would they do some sort of crazy-person verbal battle, with her warning him of the dangers of hell, and him giving her an incomprehensible tongue-lashing? It was almost interesting enough that I wish I could see what was going on. But it wasn't to be, and now I'll never know what happens when a subway beggar meets a subway preacher.
Posted by ahyatt at May 28, 2005 01:51 PM