Downtown Doodler: Subway People

David & Miles
6 train, Downtown
3:34pm

David was never outgoing or very social, he preferred to read about wars in ancient lands, or mythical galaxies light-years away. It was miraculous Helen fell in love with him to begin with. He never left his apartment unless it was to check out a new book that was even longer than the one he just returned. Helen was a shy grad student who needed help finding a book in the library. He wondered how she made it so far life not knowing the Dewie Decimal System but helped her out anyway. Soon they were a happy family, art critic, science fiction novelist and baby boy named Miles. Things didn’t last long though as David retreated farther into his made up worlds and Helen was embraced by the art community but felt more and more like an outsider at home.It’s clear David doesn’t have much in common with his 9 year old son anymore. He tries his best to bring Miles into his world, but his son would rather pick up a   football or video game controller than   a book.

The doors close and the train leaves the 59th street station, the last stop near Central Park on the 6 line. Miles knows his dad is bringing him to the library or maybe Strand, but definitely not the park. He sighs and plays with his sunglasses that he won’t be using to shield the sun as he runs around the park. He wishes just once his dad would put down his book and play with him, football, baseball, ping pong, anything! Maybe one day they’ll get off at 59th and Lexington and visit the park, even just for a minute.