Love Train

The man came into the 7 train dressed in a camel-colored suit and tie. He was a short guy and he carried a guitar. He positioned himself in the center of the train and began to strum. It was heaven. And I thought I’ll give him my spare change. When people bring me pleasure of that degree on the train with singing or music I feel they deserve money. As if the mere fact that someone could be starving weren’t enough for me to dig into my pockets, but when people claim starvation I cast doubt. When people on the train play music or sing, their craft speaks for itself.

Then the man began to sing in Spanish. It was about opening your heart to love and to peace, and singing with your heart about peace and happiness, and the beautiful, brief song sounded as though it was directed at a lover. It ended with the phrase: I love you with all my heart, Sir, with all my heart. Really he said “Señor,” which in Spanish is used to mean “sir” or “Lord” (as in God). Just for a second that song was for me about a young man singing to a another man who he loves but doesn’t know well enough to be informal with him, so he calls him “sir.” For an instant it was touching, and then I realized it was about God and I didn’t want to give the guy any money anymore, because suddenly my donation became ideological in a way that hadn’t been evident when I thought he was just strumming a beautiful song about love.