recommended reading, and a memory
May. 8th, 2008 06:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lauradi7dwhttp://commodorified.livejournal.com/258634.html
One could make brazen generalizations about guys on the bus or subway. Those of us of an age and gender to have been taught to keep ourselves closed in and as compact as possible in public can come to resent the ones (mostly guys) who feel that sprawl is the answer, and occupy space that should fit two or three people. There was one summer evening that I was really tired and just wanted to sit down. There was one seat available on that Red line train. Whoever was sitting to my left was taking up just one space. The guy on the right had not expanded to full sprawl, but was over into my personal space. I was just too tired to squinch up, so I ended up sort of leaning on him, muscles relaxed. He didn't shift positions at all. Since it was summer we both had on T-shirts, so our arm skin was in contact. We were both reading, touching, and it felt like a shared moment instead of a small battle, except that we never looked each other in the face or acknowledged each other at all.
One could make brazen generalizations about guys on the bus or subway. Those of us of an age and gender to have been taught to keep ourselves closed in and as compact as possible in public can come to resent the ones (mostly guys) who feel that sprawl is the answer, and occupy space that should fit two or three people. There was one summer evening that I was really tired and just wanted to sit down. There was one seat available on that Red line train. Whoever was sitting to my left was taking up just one space. The guy on the right had not expanded to full sprawl, but was over into my personal space. I was just too tired to squinch up, so I ended up sort of leaning on him, muscles relaxed. He didn't shift positions at all. Since it was summer we both had on T-shirts, so our arm skin was in contact. We were both reading, touching, and it felt like a shared moment instead of a small battle, except that we never looked each other in the face or acknowledged each other at all.
