Of Rat's Nests and Nutters

Another quiet ride in, and for the exact opposite reason as yesterday: Metro riders are allergic to rain as equally as they are allergic to working when it's sunny and 75 degrees.  I, on the other hand, adore stormy weather.  I woke up at 4:00 a.m. to one of the biggest storms I've experiences in some time with a huge smile on my sleepy face.  I didn't even begin to think about sleep until UConn cut down the hoop at around 11:30. GOOOO HUSKIES!  And thank you for triggering my ulcer!

The walk down to the Metro was amazing.  I started out the journey with my hair up in a clip, since it was still wet, but after I dropped off my daughter, I took it down.  The air was crisp but not cold, and the wind was just brisk enough give the impression I was running.  I didn't even grimace when I saw the Metro.  I felt like I was flying down the hill with the wind in my hair, and the big fat grey clouds roiling over head.  Armed with some decisions made the night before, it was particularly energizing.  It helped that Modest Mouse's "Missed the Boat" came on as I reached the final decent to the Metro.  My mood was pretty unshakeable.

It wasn't raining during my walk, but perhaps a little misty.  That meant everyone but me was huddled under the awning toward the middle of the train, only to run out and try to push me over when the train arrived, lest they should melt.  I got a seat with no issue.  My seat partner got on a couple of stops later.  She was totally inoffensive; neat, clean, tidy and in her own world (read: iPod).  The train was neither crowded, nor delayed, and this particular train didn't even have a carpet that would smell of mildew from the rain.

The only issue I ran into was the utter nutter sitting in front of me. She was probably in her early sixities, with grey-white hair.  Remember, I love white hair.  My mother has the most beautiful head of white hair I've ever seen, and I'm highly envious! I've wanted to be fifty since I was four, and everytime I find what I think is a white hair in my head, I run gleefully over to my friend to confirm it...he never does.  I digress. 

This woman was dressed quite respectably, but her hair was a rat's nest in the back, and a greasy on at that.  I was in a pretty good mood, so I noted it, and remained relatively immersed in my iPod-environs.  At Cleveland Park, I saw her stand up, and thought she left the train.  Four stops later, at Metro Center, I stood up to prepare to get off at the next station.

Lo and behold, the nutter is coming BACK to the seat in front of me, where an older blond woman had been sitting.  As I'm trying to get out, the nut job is trying to get back into her seat, while the blond lady is trying to get off.  I eek my way toward the door, and watch the nutter repeatedly step in front of the blond lady, who finally darts around her with the speed of a woman half her age, and pushes ME (and several others) out of the way to get off the Metro as fast as she can.  No, I couldn't not help but say, "Excuse you!" to her departing back.

I looked back as I was departing and the nutter was sitting back in her seat with her hands grasping the bar at the top of the seat in front of her smiling devilishly.  I'm pretty sure I heard, "MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA," echo in the train station behind me.