Strangers on a Train: I've realized that I'm a crazy magnet.

I always sit next to the crazy people on the train. Not the blatant, I'm about to throw my feces on you crazy, but the, I look like a normal person but my brain is off crazy.

I've been sheltered and spoiled most of my life. My parents picked me up from school everyday. I got a car when I was 16. I've only known what it feels like to drive myself places, so this whole taking the public transit thing is a completely new idea to me.

Because of my new internship, I have to take the train all the way across the city. This hour long commute every couple of days had given me a bit of anxiety at first, but now, I feel a bit on better ground with the train. But last night has thrown me for a loop.

I finally sat down around the mid-point of my ride back home. A couple stops later, a girl with a red backpack sat down next to me. Red and I did what the normal protocol for train riders is, just sit there and don't say a word until you have to move. A couple stops passed, and neither of us uttered a anything. Then Red decided to throw a wrench in the machine and asked "So, what part of the city are you from?"

I was taken back a bit. Were we really going to break tradition. I didn't want to seem rude, so I replied "I live near the school." She asked if I was a student, I am. I asked her if she was a student. She was. Awesome. End of conversation. I thought.

Then she asked me where I lived, on campus or off. I told her I lived down the street. She asked me how much rent was. How much rent was? I told her. I didn't really think much of it. Student to student. You tend to compare living arrangements. Then she asked me if I was looking for a roommate?

The hell? A Roommate? Red, I just met you on the train. You might be a Serial Killer. You might be really nice too, but I'm gonna lean towards Serial Killer on this one. I said no, and she immediately waved me off. As if she wanted to go back to being unfriendly, silent strangers.

I thought we had a good thing going Red. We broke the rules. We talked. But just because I don't want to invite you to live with me, you decided to turn the cold shoulder? Bah. Whatever.

Because of this, and other incidences, I have deduced that I am in fact, a Crazy Magnet. I try to be cordially and respectable, but apparently in this city, cordially and respectable gets you unwanted roommate offerings.