Roll the Movie of my Life

This chilly, Sunday morning, I walk to our "T" stop. It's already 9:00, but the streets and sidewalks are quiet.

One guy stands inside the shelter. He is obviously a young professional but not as put together as his fine clothes might allow. Half his suit collar stands up crazily. A strip of tie silk shows around his neck. He looks like one of those characters in the movies who wakes up in a room they don't recognize and throws on their clothes to leave before the house's owner wakes up to find a stranger in their house.

I nod as I enter the shelter.

He takes the opening: "Which way is inbound?" Ours is a pretty small station, so things aren't marked as clearly as they could be.

"This side is inbound; that one is outbound," I gesture.

"Okay." He looks around a little. "What line is this?"

"This is the "C" Line - the Cleveland Circle Line." I answer.

Whew! This guy has no idea where he is!

"Sorry," he says. "It's one of those mornings."

"Uh-huh," I respond, trying to sound understanding.

"Usually preceded by one of those nights," he says, giving me a knowing look.

"Uh-huh," I say with half a laugh, not exactly knowing but imagining pretty well.

He pulls out his Blackberry. "What street is this?" nodding to the one in front of us.

"Beacon Street," I answer; and then, thinking another approach might be more helpful, ask "Where are you trying to get to?"

He holds out his Blackberry toward me. A teardrop marker points to an intersection on a google map. "My car is parked there," he says.

Well, at least he was smart enough to know he was going to need all the help he could get the next morning. I explain to him how to get there from where he is.

"Where are you going so early in the morning?" he asks.

I smile, "To church."

"Oohh - church," he moans and winces, as if remembering something his dear old grandma once told him. "That's probably where I should be going on a morning like this."

We stand together for another minute, making small talk. My train pulls up, and I wish him luck.

"Thanks," he says. "Say a prayer for me!"

I laugh. "I will!" I say sincerely and jump onto the train.