A 45-minute commute is commonplace, a two hour commute is insane, but not shocking to anyone. The fact is people who ride public transportation live a significant part of their lives publicly. A one hour commute to and from work each day represents 12.5 percent of a person’s waking hours. I’m looking for the times when people forget they are next to other people or don’t care. Instead of posing, avoiding all glances, lost in earbuds or reading furiously from an electronic slate, I like fingernail painting, radios, manners or no manners, blowing one’s nose and looking, pulling out a mirror and primping, eating and whatever else seems real. All the world’s a stage and never have I seen more acting than on public transportation. I want non-acting and so I’m going to see if I can get it.
Ralph Braseth 