The seat not taken

There are many reasons for not sitting next to someone on the subway. Sometimes it is simply more desirable to stand and lean against a greasy warm steel pole than sit down. It may be the puddle of urine or vomit on the seat. But in most cases, it's the person sitting next to the empty seat.

The person may be asleep, his mouth ajar and his body sprawled into the next seat. Perhaps he is physically taking up the second seat with a large bag or right buttocks. Or the puddle of drool from his lips may just be too unappealing.

So what was Yellow Gal's reason for not sitting in an unoccupied seat the other day? The car was somewhat crowded and people preferred standing rather than sitting in the one unoccupied seat in the car.

Yellow Gal looked at the person sitting next to the empty seat. The woman was young, with long black hair and light brown skin, and was quietly sitting there, legs crossed. She was perhaps one of the most beautiful women Yellow Gal had ever seen.

Yet for some reason, sitting next to the woman seemed as daunting as sitting next to a man with a live snake. Yellow Gal could understand why men would be intimidated, but why Yellow Gal, a hetero chick? It wasn't a competition thing because there was no contest, this gorgeous woman was model-like.

And so Yellow Gal did not take the seat and instead stood, clasping onto a bacteria-infested pole. Perhaps all anomalies--both disgusting and beautiful--affect people the same way. At least on the subway.