I use public transportation. I haven’t had a car for years, and I’m handling it pretty well, considering I live in a city where the public transportation is constantly derided for being a “train to nowhere,” among other things. It gets me around just fine, though, and I rely on it every day. And 90% of the time, my rides are completely uneventful.
That other 10%? Usually, it’s delays. There doesn’t really seem to be a set schedule — I’ve never in my life heard anyone say “the 5:00 train” or anything like that, because such a thing doesn’t exist — but most of the time you can expect a train within five, maybe ten minutes of getting to the platform. I can leave my apartment at 8:30 and get to work by 9:00 with near-complete regularity. However, my ride home today lands squarely in that eventful 10%. Let me tell you all about it.
First of all, when I arrived at the platform, it was completely packed with people. There was an announcement not too long after I got there that said the northbound trains were delayed but on their way. I pulled out my copy of John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines (which, by the way, is really good, so far) and waited.
And waited.
Aaaaand waited.
Meanwhile, more people crowded the platform with every passing minute. Before too long, this guy showed up and leaned against the wall right next to me. Since I like to be aware of my surroundings, I looked up momentarily from the book. This guy was probably 4’10″ with dark hair that he’d slicked back with far too much gel. When I looked up, he shot me a really unsettling look and made a kissy-face at me. I shook my head, rolled my eyes, and went back to my book. He moved away from me and I figured that was that… but I was wrong.
The train finally arrived and I got on, and since it had been delayed it was packed full of people. Each train car has luggage space at the front. This luggage space also gets utilized when all the seats are full and people need somewhere to stand without being in the way of the doors. I ended up in the luggage space, mostly due to the fact that the influx of bodies into the train pushed me in that general direction. I only had to go one stop, so I didn’t really mind… until Mr. Kissy-Face shoved himself between me and the rest of the passengers on the train, cornering me in the luggage space as the train pulled away.
He didn’t say a word. He just stood there, his eyes leveled at my chest, a disgusting grin on his face. I told him to fuck off. He waggled his eyebrows at me, and didn’t budge. The few people around us looked uncomfortable, but no one helped me. Nice.
Anyway, it was a short ride, because I was getting off at the next stop. When the train pulled up, I said, “I’m getting off here,” and started to move… and he didn’t budge. He crossed his arms and made another kissy-face at me and refused to move. He was really trying my patience. I told him to get the fuck out of my way, and yet he didn’t move. I had probably another couple of seconds and the train would leave the platform, so I did what any self-respecting girl would do.
I clocked him with John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines.
He got out of my way and I got applause from the people who had been witnessing all of this — thanks again for the help, assholes — and I headed home. Lesson learned: walk softly and carry a good book.
I am so sorry this happened to you. That guy is an asshole and good for you for standing up to him. If I’d been there you can be sure he would’ve moved his predatory ass sooner.
My biggest irritation is with the other people on the train. It was packed like a sardine can and nobody said a damned thing until it was all over. They were willing to cheer me on after I beaned him but they weren’t willing to be like “Dude, she told you to fuck off”? What the hell!?
Yeah and the worst bit it happens even when the sexual assault is MUCH more overt (with physical contact even!)
Silence is the biggest helper to sexual predators.
It’s very irritating that people won’t ever speak up in situations like this, it makes me question society as a whole. :/
But GOOD ON YOU for clocking him.
That’s what’s pissing me off more than anything else about this whole situation.
He got what he deserved. I hope he gets a nasty book-shaped bruise to remember me by.
Wow what a creepy jerkface! I would have just pushed him but the Book of Justice is way more epic.
Well if there’s already a book in your hand, why not smack the jackass with it? He asked for it.
Juliana directed me to this post. I’m really sorry that happened to you, and I’m glad you stuck up for yourself.
I think American culture as a whole has trended toward “look, but don’t interfere” for all kinds of situations. Last year I stepped in a knee-deep hole in full view of Atlanta’s bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic, in this case stopped at a red light. I fell down and my stuff scattered everywhere. Nobody even leaned out the window to ask if I was OK. It turned out my leg was broken.
Oh my god, that’s awful. You would think there would be more good samaritans out there but it really is an “every woman for herself” kind of a world, isn’t it? It’s ridiculous.
A City full of wimps! Why am I more upset over the people not doing anything and APPLAUDING when you defended yourself? Riders of Public Transportation grow a pair! Stand and Defend others. Don’t be afraid of altercations. You have numbers on your side! You aren’t sheep you ARE humans!
I think I know you fairly well, and I expect you to verbally defend yourself, but DAMN you clocked a guy with a book! Welcome to the rarified air of dishing out punishment on predators! I love it! Good job!
I’m also more upset that no one lifted a finger — it’s not unusual for me to get less-than-wholesome looks on MARTA. I’m as used to the disgusting glances as I can get — and 99% of the time it’s just that. Looks. This crossed the line into physicality and what drives me nuts is that NOBODY helped out, even though the train was crammed full of people and a lot of them were very obviously aware of what was going on.
Not that I need people to defend me, but clearly no one was going to anyway — I had to defend myself, so I did.