A Confession

I have a confession to make.

I know I recently ranted about how annoyed I was about all these people and their little white earbuds as they rode in public transit and my feelings that everyone here is so completely disconnected from the world and the people around them.

But then...

I started taking transit to work every single day. I thought it would take half an hour but sometimes it's closer to 45 minutes. I heard things about people's lives I really didn't want to hear. I heard the two parents who couldn't exactly talk to each other. It was always as though they were the toddler with them. "Daddy needs to wipe your nose," the mother would say. This was followed by the father wiping the kid's nose. Why didn't she just say, "Eugene, could you wipe Kid 1's nose?" Then it got worse. "Is Daddy kissable?" the very nerdy dad asked the kid. (He had to be named Eugene, it just fits). Ick. Dude, you are so NOT kissable. I can't even believe someone mated with you and you're re-populating the species. Then another new mother got on the streetcar and she and the Mommy started this long conversation about how they just LOOOOOOVE 'the Trekker'. I think they were talking about their baby carrier. On and on, talking about every baby product that exists. I'm usually a very peace-loving woman, but that day almost put me over the edge.

When we transferred to the subway, I used my best conflict-avoidance measures: I tried to not be in the same car as them. I wasn't quite successful, but at least I was on the far end of the same car and they were out of hearing range.

Why do books have to be heavy and big and my backpack is too small for all that gym stuff plus my lunch? It means I had to turn to something else to tune others out. It means...

Basically, it all convinced me that it was time. Time to do something I never thought I'd do. Call me a hypocrite, after my previous swearing-off of these little babies. I've given birth to a wee little baby, a nano.



I've learned that these little guys come with as many accessories as real babies. There's a sporty carrier for running, a leather carrier for the business types, an addition to be able to listen to the radio, different headphones. And I thought I just had to pay the initial price, download some music and I was done. Rearing a child isn't simple in this world and neither is listening to a few songs (make that 500 songs).

And as I play my Spanish protest music, while in a crowded subway car full of Bay Street business boys, brand-name wearing university and high school kids, crazy ladies who talk to themselves and parents who don't talk to each other, I'm transported away from here. And it feels good. This is the way to keep peace in the big city.