Too early in the morning for that!

Now that I am working in DC, I have decided to start taking the Metro into work. It's actually a very fascinating experience. Granted, there's nothing like the comfort and convenience of your own car, but there is definitely a "culture" developed among those who frequently ride the Metro and everyday is unlike the day before. For example, there was the woman last week who clearly is being taken advantage of by her "friend" and she was very obviously bothered by the circumstances surrounding the relationship. However, she proceeded to tell the woman that she was sitting next to (and the rest of the folks around her on the train) about how she was just enjoying what she could get out of the relationship, but when she finds someone that really loves her and only her, she's going to end things with her current boyfriend. Now, call me crazy, but I find something extremely flawed in her logic. Any person that thinks anything of themselves is not going to involve themselves with someone who is already involved in another relationship, no matter how disfunctional it may be. I wanted to tell that woman that she's going to be waiting for a long time for that knight in shining armor to come rescue her. But she wasn't talking to me and it really wasn't any of my business, though as loud as she was talking, it was the whole Metro rail car's business.

This morning I get on the train. It's cold and overcast outside . . . not the best way to get over that it's Monday morning. But, we're up and about aren't we? I got my usual seat by the window and begin reading my WP Express. (I made sure that I got an Express this morning and didn't get hookwinked into accidentally getting The Examiner!) We get to the Eastern Market metro stop and folks get on. I guess I am now starting to pay more attention to the demographic of the rideres at the different station stops more and this morning I noticed that a number of white people get on at the Eastern Market metro (gentrification at it's best--I'm just kidding). Anyway, these two late 30s-early 40s white women get on and do the "Hey how are you, blah, blah, blah" fake greeting that I notice a lot of white women give to one another. It's the "we're great friends, however, I am taking this opportunity to give you the once over under the guise of an overly friendly greeting." There's some comparative analysis for you. But, I digress.

The one woman has her small child with her; I'd say he was about 3 or 4. From the time they got on the train, you could tell who was in charge. He was swinging around on the pole and telling his mom to "watch out" so that he could continue to swing, even though she told him that he "really shouldn't." Then she told him that if he didn't stop, they were going to get off at the next stop so that he could take a deep breath. Now correct me if I'm wrong, and I know that I don't know what it's like to do things with kids, but how is this little rotten boy going to make her have to get off the train so that he can take a deep breath? Anyway, he continues spinning around on the pole and then decides that he's ready to move on. He immediately bolts from the pole yelling, "Mommy, let's go over here!" At that moment he goes tearing down to the other end of the rail car. Clearly, this mother had absolutely no control over this child and it was really a pitiful site to witness.

Parents are so busy trying to appease their children, the children have no discipline. Now, as I said, I don't have any children, so I cannot begin to philosophize on what should and shouldn't be done in order to have control over your children. However, your child should not be creating a morning time nightmare for all of the other people who are on the metro. Perhaps you can handle it, but there are some of us who can't and would rather not have to listen to or deal with your bratty kid. Hell, it's bad enough it was a cloudy and cold Monday morning!