This piece of writing was given as a prompt for my Writer’s Play workshop group. I was to pick one of these characters and write in the voice of that character. I chose to be all of them.
Key to Characters: BC – a bored commuter, EP – an eager, unappreciated philosopher, GR – the Grim Reaper, CC – Completely Clueless person, PD – a prima donna
The 242nd Street station was relatively empty at that hour of the morning. No one noticed the man (BC) entering the subway. Dressed in a business suit, apparently on his way to Manhattan, a glazed look in his eyes, a slow shuffle and sagging shoulders, he found a seat in the middle of an empty car, just stared ahead and thought to himself, as the train pulled away from the station.
(BC) “What a life. Every day it’s the same thing. Get on a train, have it fill up with more commuters, just sitting around reading papers, listening on headphones, not paying attention to anyone or anything. Nothing ever happens. No one cares. My work’s no better, everyone talking with nothing interesting to say. Then back again on the same subway and repeat, over and over again. I wish there were something more interesting than this.”
First stop, at 238th Street station, an older woman (EP) in a vintage Burberry trench coat, books under her arm, wearing large round tortoiseshell glasses enters the car and sits down opposite and to the left of BC. She has no internal thoughts, she speaks her thoughts aloud.
(EP) “You have to live life to the fullest. Look around and grab each chance you get. Don’t worry about the consequences. Sometimes it’s the foolish who are the best. Live long and prosper, that’s what I say!”
Next stop 231st: Entering the car, a shadowy figure (GR) dressed in black, face obscured by an oversized hood, bony hands clutching a long silver scythe, engraved on the blade, “On Your Retirement”. He, too, is full of thoughts and sits directly opposite BC.
(GR) “Finally enough with the collections. Even a Grim Reaper has to have time to relax and have a life. Just leave me off at a quiet tunnel with no one around that argues and screams, ‘IT’S NOT MY TIME!’, that you have to drag all the way to their final place and then fill out all that paperwork. Finally some me time.”
215th Street: A young man wearing a Columbia University t-shirt, inside out and backward, two different colored socks, with a glazed expression on his face (CC) enters the car and squeezes in next to BC. Mind you, there are plenty of spaces other than next to BC that are unoccupied and this young man “squeezes” himself next to BC. He too, has difficulty keeping his thoughts to himself as gazes carefully across the car at GR.
“I’m sorry, but do I know you?” he says in a loud voice to GR. He gets up and then positions himself to the left of GR. “You look so familiar. Maybe it’s your face, not that I see it, but I’m sure it could hide a face of someone I know.”
Dyckman Street Station: A tall, lanky woman (PD) dressed in a pantsuit, stilettos and carrying a Prada bag joins the group. She will have nothing to do with the people already seated in the car, but rather sits at the far end of the car. Her thoughts go something like this:
“I’m sure they will start staring at me and admire the wonderful ensemble I have on. Even though my limo driver has let me down and I’m on a subway, I’m sure these adoring fans will lavish me with praises.”
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Our cast of characters have all taken their places…their character and mettle are about to be tested:
EP stands up and says, “Pain is nature’s way of telling you to slow down…or to stop!” As she announces this, she grabs her chest and head at the same time. “Not now!” She falls down, tripping over GR and lands face first on CC’s shoes and doesn’t move.
Both GR and CC react at the same time.
GR screams out, “This can’t be happening. I don’t work for death anymore! Why is there no other reaper here to take the case? There is no way I’m dealing with this and doing any of the paperwork. I’m off at the next station!”
CC looked down at his feet somewhat puzzled. “I’m sorry ma’am, if you are interested in the shoes that I’m wearing you could have just asked, not that I know what shoes I’m wearing. Take your time I’m sure you’ll be able to find out who made them.”
BC just sits there thinking thoughts of the futility of taking the same subway ride every day where nothing out of the ordinary ever happens.
PD glances at the group of people in the middle of the car and can’t understand why they are spending so much time on a woman in a trench coat rather than admiring her, PD. Clearly, it was a mistake to take the subway. She plans on getting off at the next stop and seeking out a more alluring fan base.
As the subway pulls into the 168 Street station, all the passengers get up to exit, except EP.
GR leaves first, “I gotta get out of this place before another Reaper sees me. I’m through with death.”
He is quickly followed by CC who left a piece of paper in EP’s hand with his name and address and what could have been a phone number had he remembered what his was. It had a message on it stating that she should contact him for more information about his shoes. He calls after GR, “Was it at the gym? Were you ever in the movies?”
PD leaves next, nose in the air, looking for another group of admirers to be praised by.
BC does manage to remember that he has to change to the A train and leaves to continue on to his dull and boring work as a court stenographer at night court.
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As the doors of the car close and the train starts to move on, EP awakes from her nap and sits up a little confused. Reading the note in her hand only adds to her confusion. With no one else in the car she stands up and says, “The eyes may be the windows to the world, but if you don’t pull up the shades, you may miss what’s there.”
Be Careful What You Wish For
