His head was shaved, and I didn’t think anything about it when he sat down in front of me on the crosstown bus. After he was seated I looked up and saw he had had someone tattoo an alert, open eye including that small clear dot in the pupil where the light refracts, under an eyebrow on the back of his bald head. When he turned his head to look out the window to our left, the singular eye took complete notice of me. I wanted to tap him on the shoulder and ask if he had children. You know, the eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head, all seeing parent thing. He had a second eye on the right side of his head which was completely different in ethnic choice, more slanted in shape, somewhat menacing. I don’t know upon it gazed while he sat. I was fixated on the one checking me out.
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Announcement by the subway conductor: ‘This train is only 2 minutes away from the next station where your will make your connection, but it will be 15 if you don’t let me close the doors!’ Everyone readjusted their behinds and the doors opened and closed with finality.
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Just an observation of the sort I’m-always-the-last-to-know: sitting on the subway I look up at an advert where a hotdog bun is standing upright. She is all dolled up – ribbons, bows, shoes, eyelashes. She is chatting with the hot dog, clearly male, also upright standing. Never before realized what a sexual icon a hot dog and bun is. Passed hand to hand at countless sport venues. Did the rest of you know this all your lives?