EYE ON: Subway sounds
eye WEEKLY
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eye WEEKLY October 10, 1996
Toronto's arts newspaper .....free every Thursday
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EYE ON EYE ON
SUBWAY SOUNDS
by
RIC MACFARLANE
I am deafened by the sound of my Walkman in an attempt to muffle the
vile noises surrounding me. Assorted grunts, coughs and sniffs can be
heard through the banging of the Yonge St. subway.
I reach to turn down the volume when something falls into my lap. A
small, slender man is throwing things into laps as he marches down the
aisle. I look down and see a nifty little key chain with a psychedelic
face under its clear outer shell. Promptly I read the attached card:
"Hello. I am hearing impaired. I make a living by selling these key-
chains that I have made myself. Will you please support me by buying
this key-chain? $2"
Feeling generous, I buy the key chain. The deaf man takes my money and
signs the words "Thank you" to me while bowing slightly. I smile, nod
my head, and say nothing... what do you say to such a fellow anyway?
He collects money and rejected merchandise from the other passengers
and starts moving toward the next car through a door at the front.
Just as he reaches the exit, a man at the back of the car calls out
"Hey!" and holds out a key chain that our self-employed friend has
neglected to retrieve. The merchant responds to the voice quickly and
snatches the key chain. I look around at the other passengers,
puzzled, while the self-proclaimed disabled salesman leaves the car. I
am only one of four people holding key-chains, and I wonder if the
other three feel as much of an ass as I do.
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