A Real-Life Subway Encounter: A Valiant Act of Safety or Just Basic Nerve?

Back in the days when I was living on the East Coast, I had a late afternoon subway ride with an experience that still chills me to the bone. On my way back to Princeton after bidding a friend adieu at Kennedy Airport, I found myself in a largely empty subway car. It was then that I noticed a peculiar situation unfold before my eyes - a man in a business suit was fast asleep, while a group of innocent-looking teenage boys scrutinized him from a distance.

Observing the Suspicious Behavior

The boys, all tall and well-built, were dressed in neat sweaters and jeans, seemingly harmless enough to fit in anywhere. However, their actions soon revealed the true nature of their intentions. They started to pointedly stare at the business man and made hand gestures to each other. When the subway pulled into a station, they would back away and pretended to be engrossed in the subway pole, acting as though nothing out of the ordinary was happening. They then moved closer again, looking over the businessman's clothing and peering into his pockets, readying themselves for a robbery. The man, though appearing slight and exhausted, was undoubtedly vulnerable.

Aático Response

It was clear that there were no other passengers in sight, apart from me, a woman alone in my mid-20s. I knew that they could have easily targeted me next, should the businessman awaken. The situation was tense enough that I decided to take action. I grabbed my belongings, sat down next to the sleeping man, and loudly asked, 'EXCUSE ME SIR, COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT TIME IT IS?'

The man, heavily jet-lagged from his overseas flight, could not wake up. I repeated the question over and over again, until he finally stirred. The boys looked visibly disgusted by this turn of events. At that moment, I whispered urgently, 'Sir! Sir! Don't fall asleep on the subway!'

The boys weighed the new situation and gave increasingly displeased faces, but they remained silent. Clearly, they were angrier at being interrupted from their planned robbery. I felt relieved that they had decided against jeopardizing the businessman or me, but still, I knew we weren’t alone in facing these young men.

Resolution

As the businessman began to wake up, I leaned over and whispered that the boys had been planning to rob him. It was a relief to know that I had prevented them from carrying out their intended act. I kept at it, saying, 'Sir do NOT fall asleep! Stay awake.'

When the businessman was fully awake, he thanked me. We continued our journey chatting, and I later learned he was a lawyer. He got off a few stops before mine and thanked me again. Some have commented that it took a lot of nerve to intervene in such a situation, but to me, it was a matter of ensuring the safety of a vulnerable person, as well as my own. There was no one else on the subway to turn to, and I knew I was potentially next on their target list.

Outcome and Reflection

The boys gave up and left at the next stop, still looking disgusted and annoyed. The businessman was awake for the rest of the trip, and we chatted the whole way to the suburbs. I hope the lawyer learned a valuable lesson: never to succumb to sleep on his next subway ride. Reflecting on the incident, I am glad everything turned out well for us both. This experience reinforced the importance of vigilance in public spaces, showing that a valiant act can sometimes be the only recourse in a dangerous situation.