Riding the Hammock Subway

Dream Installment #6: Riding on the Hammock Subway

This dream and painting are from summer-- I just haven't taken the time to scan and post it.

As I walked out of the hostel I was staying at in NYC, I saw two Reed graduates whom I'd known as a freshman and found very intimidating. They were walking towards the subway and I could overhear them talking about Reedies I knew. I caught up with them and asked what train I should get on to go to a good shopping neighborhood. They rudely directed me onto the wrong train and I foolishly followed their advice.

The car I'd gotten onto was packed. I had to sit on the back of some dude's chair, which for some reason he was fine with. Slowly, about half the car emptied and everyone left looked haggard. I knew what those expressions meant-- they were commuters just like I'd been in high school. Just instead of a ferry and bus ride, they were stuck on the long train ride home. "So, there's nowhere fun to go shopping out here, right? We're outside of New York now, huh." I asked. "Yeah, you should definitely get off at the next stop," someone replied.

So I did. A very unusual stop.

I had to walk carefully along the edge of the track to the "train" waiting for me. School children getting off of it easily walked passed me, while I clung to the guide rope. "Just tangle yourself so you don't fall in! It's the only way back to NYC!" they informed me. As I imitated the commuters around me, wrapping myself into the net, all the random junk I always carry around in my pockets and purse fell into the river below me.

On the bright side, I managed to save my wallet, and when I got used to the terrifying movement of the hammock over the river, I found it to be a very beautiful ride back towards the city.