Round Hole, Square Peg

The train is packed. Someone's umbrella is digging into your rib cage behind you and the man sitting in front of you insists on leaning forward to read his book in your crotch. Next stop, 42nd Street -- more people pour into the already packed train. As you turn sideways to make room for the pushers you look up and notice him. There he is. Adorable, mysterious and no ring. Jackpot?

You pretend to keep reading your book, even though you can't let go of the bar to turn the page since the train operator is playing the jerky stop-n-go game. While you're attempting not to let your lack of patience show on your face, you continue to glance at him, hoping he's peeking back at you. I'm sure he is, I'm just looking away when he is.

The A/C goes out and you're stuck underground due to 'train traffic ahead'. Whatever, there's no such thing as a train traffic jam. Somebody probably jumped on the damn tracks. Fuck them. Ah, you catch eyes. Small smirk comes on your face, obviously covered up by your book. Maybe he caught my smeyes. (What, it's a thing. Ask Tyra.)

The discomfort on the train is stifling, your mind starts to swirl. Before you know it you envision your first date at a dark wine bar with live jazz in the corner. Grocery shopping together on a Sunday, making dinner and drinking two bottles of wine without even noticing because conversation never stops flowing. He's perfect. Someone you aren't ashamed to makeout with on the F train on a late Saturday night. The guy who protectively puts his hand on your leg when sitting on the train and you hope all other single people see and are jealous.

The trains jerks again, snapping you out of the daydream. Finally, you've reached 72nd Street, people cascade out like an impatient waterfall.  Where did he go? He's gone. Oh well, it probably wouldn't have worked just like all the past relationships. After all, you're a round hole and he was most likely a square peg. C'est la vie.

You go back to staring at the letters in your book and wondering if he really was a square.