Do your job, and I won't cause trouble

As I mentioned before, one benefit of my commute is that I can get my shoes shined for three dollars (plus tip) at Penn Station.

Today, on the way home, I got to Penn around 5:20pm. I planned to catch the 5:40 express train, so I walked to my regular shoe shine shop (shoe shine shop--say that ten times fast!) and sat down for a procedure that should take less than ten minutes, leaving me enough time to get to my train.

As I sat there, the woman who was to do the work was talking to another of the women who worked there. I waited a minute, then two. She never even looked up at me. I'd tell you what they were saying, but it wasn't in English (and I'm a good American, so I'm only fluent in one language). I'm the son of a League of Women Voters President, and, as a kid, I went to pro-ERA rallies with her, but I can't help myself--I'm of the opinion that no man ever put gabbing as high on his list of things to do as the average woman. :)

I was going to say something about my being on a schedule, but before I got the words out of my mouth, the boss saw the look on my face and gave them what, based on their reaction, was a brief ass-chewing. Again, not in English, so I don't know what he said.

I nodded thanks to him and the second woman looked at me in annoyance before walking away. Well, you know what? Tough shit, honey. You're working in a train station, providing a service to commuters. Any nitwit would keep in mind that virtually every customer is on a schedule. So stop running your mouth and get to work!!!

In our next episode: why I avoid sitting near groups of women during my morning train ride. (Right now, my Mom is looking down and shaking her head. My Dad, on the other hand, is laughing.)