poem: to the young guy on the train

I hope you're enjoying the ride
- sounds like you are!
Your mum tries to shush you
so you flap instead;
the little kid opposite's curious
'cause you're not what he's come to expect of someone your age.

To myself I name some of the differences:
i'm older you're younger
i'm a woman you're a boy
i'm knitting you're fidgeting
i'm quiet now you're noisy now
i talk a lot you like silence
i'm here on impulse you prefer predictable
i read novels I expect you prefer dinosaurs or technical magazines
i like model railways you probably like to identify train models and chassis numbers and the identity badges on planes
i saw you in the aisle. You didn't notice me.

I conclude we're quite alike; we're people who like being on trains

Your mother's suggesting you calm down
I think of Andrew's mom
asking why he should act different just to make other people not feel uncomfortable.
I think if they don't like your gestures and sounds they can move. You can't. 
You are who you are and can't change that.

I hope your mother doesn't shush you too much
I hope you're enjoying the ride

(c) bronwyn angela white, 2014