Underground, Above and Beyond: The Casually Edited True Life Subway Adventures of Hershey Browne

Super Monday

“Vote Obama, Vote for Change!” she shouted and then turned to me, “are you a registered democrat and are you ready for change?”
“Well I’m not but I am.”
“What?’
“I’m not a registered democrat but…”
“Oh. Ok.”
“Ok? That’s it? You’re giving up on me?” This was yesterday morning, the day between Super Tuesday and Super Bowl Sunday. I was standing on the platform at Jay Street/Borough Hall between the F train and the A train. The day was young, the week had just begun and already I was feeling like I was in between a lot of things.
“There’s a lot people here and if you’re not a registered democrat I need to move on – there’s a lot of people to talk to between now and tomorrow.”
“Yes, but I’m ready for change.”
“Are some sort of smart ass?” “Vote Obama, Vote for Change!” This was a pretty girl. Very pretty and probably out of my league. Maybe it was wrong to take advantage of the situation but maybe she was as well. What is she getting out of supporting a presidential candidate?
“No, I would really like to hear what you have to say about Barack Obama.”
“Look, you think I have time to…” and then I stopped paying attention to her words as I saw a beauty walk by with a nice big Hillary ’08 pin on her coat. I followed her with my eyes until she stopped only a few feet away from us.
“…are you even listening to me?”
“Yes yes, of course I am. Go on,” I said as I tried hard to pay attention but I couldn’t. The Hillary girl was prettier. She looked sweet. I wasn’t getting anywhere with the Obama girl but she kept talking to me.
“…and you can check his voting record if you don’t believe me.”
“I will. Thanks. Excuse me.” The Obama girl rolled her eyes and forgot about me instantly.
“Vote Obama, Vote for Change!” The A train rolled in. The Hillary girl got on. So did I.
“Hi! I’m Hershey.” She looked at me.
“Uhm, well you see, I was just talking to a woman on the platform over there about Barack Obama…”
“Yes, I noticed.”
“Oh, you did? Did ya? Great then, that’s great.”
“And?”
“And well, I just wanted to sort of get your take on the Democratic candidates.” She looked very hesitant and wary of talking to me.
“Are you undecided?”
“No, I’m pretty sure I like you?” She smiled. I broke her. I wasn’t sure if I won her but I knew I now had her time.
“Do you even care about any of this or are you just using it as an excuse to hit on girls?”
“Can it be both? I mean, a guy can both be interested in his country’s future and what a girl might want for breakfast, right?
“Did you just ask me to breakfast?”
“Did you just say yes?”
“No… I mean, I didn’t say yes…”
“But you didn’t say no.”
“Is this what you do? Do you just go around confusing girls on the train until they agree to have breakfast with you?”
“It wouldn’t even need to be traditional breakfast food. I mean we can get something weird like tacos or gyros if the whole breakfast thing is confusing you.”
“You’re fuckin crazy, aren’t you?”
“Nah. Well, maybe just a little. So…breakfast?”
“Well I just can’t miss work for breakfast.”
“Call in late.”
“Will you vote for Hillary tomorrow?”
“What if I told you I’m not a registered democrat.”
“Depends. Are you a registered republican?”
“No.”
“Registered voter?’
“Yes.”
“And if you were a democrat?”
“I’d stuff the ballot box for Hillary.”
“OK, Let’s get some breakfast.”