Something shocking happened to me last weekend, as I sat on a fairly empty R train. All my years in NYC, I never ever thought I would see this day.
I missed the notorious Showtime Guys. I LONGED for them to be performing on my train.
Having loathed their presence all these years, I suddenly saw their incredible worth. The vital space they fill in the subway system. This was a sudden, violent epiphany. Emphasis on VIOLENT.
A fight broke out right in the area I was sitting. Half a dozen teenage boys sat in a baker’s dozen seats, oozing machismo everywhere. One minute they were talking loudly, cocky but not overly aggressive. The next minute they were piling on top of one another in the middle of the car in escalating rough housing that seemed to come out of nowhere. They thrashed around, fists flying, legs kicking.
As far as I could tell, the fight was over nothing. Literally nothing. There was some taunting but other than that it was surprisingly quiet. I’ll never understand the urge to fight someone. My ex-boyfriend was into this though, sometimes wrestling with his friends for fun. But that was only ever in the open fields of Bumblefuck, never in a confined space with a large number of plastic chairs.
Are the movies to blame for this behavior? [credit]
What the hell do you do when a fight breaks out on the NYC subway?
Especially one among teenaged boys who visibly basked in the discomfort of those of us minding our own business? I had no idea what to do. Neither did any of the other passengers on the train car. We all sat horrified but silent, even when the fight shoved a boy into a seat perilously close to an older woman.
I’ll never forget the one time I said something to a guy about his breech of subway etiquette. I asked a man was listening to loud music with no headphones to turn it down. This resulted in the volume being raised and the music punctuated with “fucking bitch”, aimed at me, all the way from 59th to 145th Street. I could only imagine how 6 large teens with testosterone surging might react if I called them out.
Are video games?
New Yorkers know the risks of speaking up on the subway.
Sometimes it is worth it. This did not seem like one of those times. After all, they were only hurting themselves. At the next stop, I got off the train and moved to another car. Fight or flight? My choice was clear.
Next time I hear “WHAT TIME IS IT?” I will actually grateful to know “IT’S SHOWTIME!” Let’s appreciate the Showtime Guys for taking toxic masculinity, the urge of physical exertion, and channeling it into choreographed routines. If the choice is being kicked in the face accidentally by a guy doing intricate gymnastics or by 6 guys wailing on each other? My choice is clear.
OMG this is crazy!! I’m glad you (and the older lady) are okay, I know all too well the internal discomfort such a situation can create. Good thing you were able to switch cars – I’ve done that before too, but then I’m always afraid that they saw me switch cars and will come chasing after me even more enraged! lol Psychos on the subway is one New York Cliche we could do without.
P.S. You TOTALLY have to change your little side bio/blurb, you are not a single lady anymore! 😉
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