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All It Takes Is $8 & A Dream

Well once again I’m way behind in updating the blog. Actually if you really think about it, I’m way behind in working & finally finishing the entire site! I will have it open before Halloween, that is a guarantee! In case anyone cares, this story took place on September 26, 2005. Let me not digress however.

I decided to do some railfanning today. I really wanted some shots from the Woodside LIRR station. I accomplished that goal & decided to do some more railfanning as I waited for a phone call to find out if I could see my friend after work.

I just finished shooting at 82nd St–Jackson Heights on the 7 when I got a phone call from my friend. She told me we could meet up for a little while before I had to head back to what she likes to call the super boonies. So I decided to take the 7 down one stop & transfer at 74th St-Broadway.

I figured I’d catch the V & take it to 53rd St for the 6 uptown to Hunts Point for the BX5. I just got down the stairs & saw the V pulling off. I could see another train coming right behind it & low & behold it was the R.

Since it was the R, I decide I’ll take it to Lexington & transfer for either the 5 or 6 uptown. I get in car #5754 which was the first one. As I sit down in a 2 seater behind the T.O., I notice what looks like a spanish woman in her early to mid 30’s across from me. I didn’t think much of it until I saw her pull out a couple of “Crossword” scratch off tickets from her bag.

I was somewhat taken back by the fever pitch like scratching that was taking place in front of my eyes. She seriously had the look of a junkie happy to get a new fix of the “good stuff”. This woman is oblivious to the fact that I’m watching her in amazement.

I could tell she didn’t win anything by the way she folded up the tickets. I figured this would be the end of it as she would fold the tickets up & put them in her bag until she could toss them later. However I couldn’t be more wrong.

I watch her fold up the tickets so she could stuff them in between a crease between the bar & seat itself. When she couldn’t fit them in there, she just tossed it on the seat intending to leave it there. The temptation of saying “hey why not put your trash in your bag” was there. However I didn’t say anything.

Maybe she felt how annoyed I was at her for doing that or the magical feeling of common sense kicked in. Yes, she did the right thing by picking up the tickets & putting them in her bag for a later disposal. So now I’m thinking this is the end but I was wrong!

A few minutes later as music is filling my ears through my torn apart headphones, I glance over at her. I notice that she is pulling out 2 more “Cashword” scratch off tickets. I thought the fever pitch scratching show was over. This time the scratching was even more eye catching.

She scratched as if she felt doing it harder would lead to financial rewards. Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be as she lost again. I’m happy that she did the right thing this time & put the tickets away in her bag immediately after the tragic ending.

The train is approaching Lexington Ave so I get up & check to make sure I left nothing behind. As the R is pulling into Lexington Ave, I glance at her & she did the same to me. She gave me the infamous smile that tells you not everything is ok but lets pretend it is. The doors have now opened & as I turn away from her to walk out, I tell myself one thing. In regards to this woman, “All It Takes Is $8 & A Dream” couldn’t be further from the truth.

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