Subway Training

I’m pretty sure many of you have heard about the NYC  Subway. For those who havent its a collection of train lines that cross the four out of the fuve boroughs on New York Ciity.

The lines are denoted by letters and colors. So me living in Queens..my train is the “A”train or the blue line. The lines have express trains that take you into the city  faster and the local trains that painfully stop at every single stop until the city. The city bein Manhattan.

I have to ride the subway system a lot for my work. actually have a choice of taking the J train which is elevated most of the way into the city and crosses the East River elevated…or I can take the A.

The point is I ride the train.

When I first  visited NYC I romanticised the train as most tourists  do. Clutching my map ot the MTA I rode the subway with no respect for the speed and reliability of what I was riding. Now as a trainee New Yorker…I have a different view of the train.

Its a neccessity rather than a  romantic but I still love riding the train.

Theres no social cateregorization on the train.Young  or old. Rich or poor.The seats feel and look the same. Whether you live in the South Jamaica hood or the bourgoise Park Slope…the MTA strips away your class.

There is an art to riding the subway and so I thought Id share some tips for you in case you ever had an occasion to be here…I want  you to be prepared.

1.Have something to read. A book, magazine, paper…cereal box..Im serious. Just have “something” Why? Because the longer the journey the more likely you are to   find  use for it that doesnt involve reading.I  find  it handy when Im in a car  with a guy that cant stop looking at me and chooses to sit exactly opposite. I can pretend to read my whatever rather than g;ance everywhere but at him making myself seem like I have eyes that are not connected to anything stable.

2.Perfect the “No” shrug. It will come in useful when faced with theasian lady that sells DVDs. It also works on the black radical selling oils and the korean chappie selling dollar batteries.

3.Perfect the “I dont see you” move. It comes in handy when the homeless person  comes in proclaiming to be collecting for some long winded homeless association. Its even better when the can I just get some food today girl comes on.Last time I saw her she started screaming..”Stop pretending Im not here”. It cracked me up. Some guy gave her a couple dollars just to get rid of her. She went to the next car and started the whole spiel again so I’ve learned that method acting that you just aint there is a good thing to know on the train.

4.Look like you know where you are going. Im serious. Its so sad to see people siting on the train huddled around the MTA map thats on the inside of the cars. Its annoying because after they peer at it for 10 minutes…they still look lost. At least LOOK confident and someone  may halp you. That brings mt to point 5.

5. Accept help when its offered. The 2 girls riding the A to JFK airport. When the guy told you to get off at Rockaway Blvd..he werent kidding. You see the A forks to two places.One way goes to JFk..the other way doesnt. You dont want to go the other way or you will need to activate the advise I gave on number 4. I had to scream at those  girls in order for them to get off the train. Thank Me. next time you may not be so lucky and remember I screamed out of love.

6. Go to the Gym and prepare for those stairs. I dont know about you but those stairs are a killer. One connection I hate in particular is the 9th Ave connection on the  F line. Theres about 6 flights of stairs. By the time you reach the elevated platform for the F..you feel like your hearts about to burst out of your chest. Im serious. The comforting thing is everyone else looks like they are about to collapse too. The soft syncrony of rapid” whoos’ is quite musical.In order to avoid this and that 42nd street “transfer”My advise is go to the gym. Its worth it.

7. Have some loose change  that is soley to  give to the subway penny seekers. Whether it be those drum players or those lousy break dancers. It could be the Jesus guy or it may come in useful if that cry baby girl in number 3 comes your way. And dont forget always say”thats all I have”..add an extra guvnor to it if you like,  Trust me loose change on the subway may change your life.

These are just a  few tips that I hope will help if ever you are in the city.

Peace!

Yasmin–My friend for Life

About a month ago I received the worst email that a person could ever receive. It was a link that was forwarded from a BBC world story that I really didnt pay any mind to. I opened the page and being on dial-up went and made  a drink while the page loaded when I came back to my pc..I screamed. I screamed and began sobbing because there in front of my eyes was the face of one of my closest most dearest friends Yasmin.

I only saw as much as “Body found…”  and I just couldnt read anymore. I called another sister and asked her to read the story for me..almost as if I hoped if I didnt read it the news would be any less true.

To my absolute dismay..the story was true. My friend was dead. Murdered in one of the most heinous ways. She was strangled. Choked to death. The very life was sucked out of her. That day I did nothing but cry. I cryed so much my eyes became red  and sore. I cryed at the thought of a young life lost and I cried at the thought of her children that were left. I cried because I felt I wasnt there and maybe just maybe had I been there..I could have been a source of strength to her. The death of my friend affected me very deeply. It affected me in a way that I never thought was possible. Even after a few weeks has passed..I am still numb. Still cant believe that Yas isnt here anymore. I want to share what I wrote the day I knew she had been killed…

“Today I received an email with a link. I didnt check the page as it loaded, When I saw the page I screamed because on it was the face of my london best friend. Yasmin. Now I havent spoken to Yas for ages. I was soo consumed with my own life and problems that I just didnt think about anyone. This week I couldnt sleep. I was tortured. I thought it was because of my   situation here but actually now I believe it was my gut feeling that something wasnt right. Yasmin was beautiful. Inside and Out. She had 4 beautiful children..beautiful black/asian mix. Yasmin held me down. She was my confessor. When stuff with my ex was crazy. She held me down. When I was torn up by all the drama..She was there. Yasmin saw my life. She saw it and she always said she didnt envy it because  she saw how phoney people were around me especially when my ex husband was around. Me and Yas used to compete with reciting Quraan. She used to kill me with it all the time. She had serious surahs down. Please I pray she was able to say her shahadah before she was killed. Now shes gone. Murdered. She was found in the trunk of her Mercedes killed.

What matters is my friend is dead. I dont get to say goodbye to her. Trapped over here..I dont even get to go to her funeral. That hurts. That hurts more than anything. ALl I want to do is be there and I cant. I cant.

Im sitting here devestated. Noone to release this pain to so I type. I type and I cry. Tears splash onto the keypad but I dont care. Yas is dead. How can this be? How can this be? Killed at the hand of a controlling loser who couldnt take NO for an answer. I know Yasmin. She was like me. She picked em with as much skill as me but she was true to life and self. I love you Yasmin. Im sorry that your life ended so short and so tragically. Im sorry that I wasnt there for you when the Deen got too hard, when people turned their backs on you, Im sorry that I wasnt there for you. I wish I could tell you that but I cant. Death separates us but I will make dua for your soul Yasmin. I will make dua for your soul and pray that Allah forgives you all your sins.

:Love Aaishah”

Since I wrote  that I have spoken to Yasmins brother..he has a blog up that will give more information about her murder and  asks for any information that could lead to the conviction and further arrests of anyone else that was involved.

I spoke to her brother for the first time   and I was comforted speaking to her. He told me things that werent open for all to know and I appreciate it. Im humbled by it. The Prophet said the muslim is one body when one part hurts then we should all feel the pain(My praphrases).This is how I feel. That the death of my friend has affected me all the way here in NYC aaway from the stark realities that are going on in London.

I also spoke to Yasmin’s mother. It was sooo good speaking to her because she told me some sweet things that made me feel so happy..yet made me feel so sad too.. When she heard my voice she said..Aaishah..Im so glad you called..I always liked you and thought you were a good friend to my dauhter. That comforted me because I felt the same about Yas. We spoke at length and that conversation too is dear to me. Im still so torn that my friend  is dead but its led me to think a lot about my direction.

Lessons that I can gain from the life and death of my friend.

Yasmin always kept it real. Its amazing how unkind people could be when it related to her.I guess Yas was just a little too fly back then when we were trying to be cookie cutter wives.She had her husbvand wrapped round her little finger in a good way. Yasmin and her children always looked well and healthy.It’s just a shame that they seeparated. I truly believe that Yasmin and him would have found eachother had that been allowed to happen.

Yasmin did a lot of good that people didnt always see. Its sad because thats the way we have become..we like to be seen to do whats good and right. Back in the early 90’s as a young wife with a small 6 month chiuld..It was  hard for me. My then husband travelled a lot and he had brought three of his sons with him and as a wife..I took care of the children until he didnt need my help anymore. Its funny that at 21 I didnt see anything strange  with taking care of 3 children who werent mine. Looking back it was a lot for a 21 year old to deal with. Its no surprise that the relationship that I had with my husband deterioated. I felt trapped. Overwhelmed. Old before my time. Jealous that my husband could travel freely while I couldnt…Ysming was there for me.  She cooked and came around. She helped me more than any sister with those boys. Yasmin took those kids out and she bought  them clothes. She must have spent over $400 on them. Peopla didnt see those t hings that she did but I did.

Ill miss her for ever and I will never ever forget her. Ill do what I can to help with her sons. If  that means buying clothes for them…or anything. Im sure her family can do all that but I want those kids to know that their mother was loved. Loved for the sake of Allah.

Ok so thats it as Im getting a lil emotional now…I promise to blog more but for now this is whats been on my mind.

Peace and Blessings All.

Aaishah AkA MyopicVision

http://janet-hossain.blogspot.com/