On Brooklyn’s A Line, "Da Genie’s Outta da Bottle"

On my way to my last trip, I took a Greyhound bus and then the subway from Times Square all the way out through Brooklyn to Howard Beach. It’s a long ride underneath some of the city’s worst neighborhoods, passing notorious stops like Van Siclen, New Lots and Euclid Avenues in East New York.

I sat on the subway with my big suitcase across from two loud-talking black guys, who were obviously drunk. They bellowed story after story, guffawing, and falling into each other with drunken laughter. It was actually quite funny because they were so loud, people sort of avoided sitting near them.

This is what’s fun about the subway, these ne’re do wells who are funny and who are having such fun with their jokes.

At one stop, an attractive black woman got on wearing an outfit somewhat like what Barbara Eden wore in her famous TV show, with the billowy pants and a sort of harem top. “Genie’s outta da bottle,” they cried, laughing and pointing. She finally decided to move to the next car.