smoker's defiance

in one of the more confrontational scenes i've witnessed on the train, the man on the left below came on board the train (which, by the way, waited for him unnecessarily) with a lit cigarette.  when someone told him cigarettes aren't allowed on the train, he replied, "give me a ticket then."  people were visibly covering their faces to avoid inhaling the second-hand smoke.

defiant smoker on the left, slightly worried but mostly indifferent man on the right

he took offense to a woman in the corner.  i didn't hear her say anything, so it may have been a look or maybe she was fanning the smoke away.  "you gonna give me a ticket?  you broke-ass bitch.  you best get some security for you muthafuckas."  the profanity-laced tirade went on.  maybe i'm cynical, but i got the feeling that despite his bluster, no one was really scared of this guy.  the feeling i got was, "fine, dude, have it your way."  perhaps some of the nurses on board were thinking, "when you're in the hospital, we'll remember you."  probably not though, as nurses tend to have gentler souls than my vengeful ass.

well, no one did give him a ticket.  i sort of get the feeling his entire life is a ticket and just one more might make him snap.  anyhow, he got off at the next stop.  maybe due to his smoking, the mile between stops was too much for him to do on bike. 

the lit cigarette and busted up handlebar pad of winners

i fully understand this guy's life is probably shit and, as dave chappelle told us (well, me anyway), he ain't got no therapist, so he takes to booze and cigarettes.  what i don't get is he didn't take a single drag off the cigarette while he was on the train.  smokers, correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't that just wasteful?

i thanked the man who spoke up as we got off the train and another woman getting off said some kind words to the one that had the tirade directed at her.  crisis both binds and breaks.