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Taxi Cab Confessions: New York City 10/22/2005 11:05:26 AM
Teen Violence... Yesterday, on my way to my job, I was standing on the elevated trainstation in my neighborhood, waiting for either the express train or the local (called the Q train) when the Q train pulled into the station. It was about 3:30 pm., the station was crowded and so was the train. I was about to get on when I realized that pure pandemonium had broken out on the subway car I was about to enter.
It was totally like a scene out of "The Garden of Earthly Delights." There were about fifteen or so teenage girls acting like a den of lions. They were screaming obscenities, jumping on seats, throwing hails of punches, perhaps even scratching someone's eyes out. I couldn't be sure. I was in too much shock to properly assess the situation, when suddenly, a woman appeared at the door where I was standing.
She said, "Quick, do something! Someone is being hurt!"
Then the conductor's face appeared out of a little window from the next car over.
I said to him, "Quick, call 911, someone is being accosted in this subway car." At which point the teens in question all started to exit the train and the station. They filed past me with naughty smiles on there faces. I of course failed to see the humor of their abusive behavior.
I entered the car, which was now almost emptied out of its riders, and saw a man sitting there with a frightened expression on his face. He did not seem to be badly injured. He was more or less just shook up.
"Are you alright?" I asked him.
"Yes, I'm fine," he replied. "They tried to get my cell phone, as if I didn't know."
I noticed just one red mark on his face. Then the express train pulled in across the platform and I left the Q in order to entrain to the city. It was to say the least a strange experience.
(I entered this into my blog to illustrate how a potentially violent situation can be de-fused by simply saying the words aloud, "Dial 911." This usually signals to a transgressor that the cops have been alerted and are on the way).
