As Sarah rushed her way to the Metro the city had a new soft pink hue. It was early March and the cherry trees were starting to bloom. She did not take the time to appreciate the beauty as perhaps she should have. Winter had melted away and this was nature's gift for all the comers and goers, but especially one for Sarah for enduring her first winter in the city.
She joined in the dance of frantic movements as the herd of people squeezing themselves through the turnstile heard the impending arrival of a new train.Β As usual, she stuffed herself into the last cart. At Farragut North, there were always many people getting on, and not nearly enough getting off. Sarah wondered about the audience around her. How many times have I stood beside him, or brushed shoulders with her? It would be impossible to tell. It was a true sign of insanity to look people in the eye on the metro. Public transportation was a painful process meant to be as insignificant and uneventful as possible. These were her brothers and sisters in anonymity. DC was turning her into one of the many peons made to think themselves important by virtue of their proximity to the white house. If only it were that simple.
As politely as possible, Sarah slid her way through the last cart of the train to face the back window as she always did. It was the best view anyone could have on the train, and it avoided the accidental gaze of fellow riders and panhandlers. As the doors began closing the space around her body became more impacted. There was no space to access a bar to hold onto and even if there had been the box of books gifted to her by a client would have made it impossible to grasp. There was nothing to brace herself with as the train rounded a curve. Sarah's small frame fell onto the tall stranger standing perpendicular to her. On her arm, she felt him harden through his suit pants as she struggled against his body to make herself steady.