He boarded the subway train, one stop after I did. The car was sparsely populated, but he sat opposite me. He wore a headset and had a coke can and candy bar wrapper in his hands. He sits, and immediately drops the wrapper on the floor between his feet. For 5 stops it lay there. I was getting off on the 6th, so I stood, approached him and as he was listening to his head phones, softly touched him on the knee to get his attention. He looked up. “I’m getting off at the next stop,” I said, “And would be pleased to take your wrapper and put it in the trash.” A second’s pause. “Oh” he says, “I work for MTA*, and I am going to pick it up when I get off at the next stop.” We exchange surprised looks. We both exit at the next stop with a “Have a good day”, sign off.
*Manhattan Transit Authority – oversees subways, buses