[Scene: downtown 6 train , Me reading the Village Voice. The paper is open to the advertisement for the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. All are seated shoulder to shoulder]
Woman, late 40’s, long salt & pepper hair : Are you going to the parade?
Me: No, not really.
W: Why not?
M: Well, my dad’s in the hospital so I’m not really in the trick or treat mood. [My dad’s doing fine, not to worry — he’ll be out on Saturday.]
W: Oh, I can understand, I’m sorry about that. I’m going as Susan B. Anthony. I’ll carry a sign saying “their servitude is all the more debasing because they do not realize it.”
M: Maybe you can throw Susan B. Anthony dollar coins?
W: It’s too bad they never caught on.
M: Yeah, the JFK dollar coins had it right — they were the right size.
W: The new dollar coins were too much like quarters.
W: Have you seen the new $20 bills?
M: Sure, but with that pink background they look kind of fake.
W: I think that they are colorful.
M: I know that they’re trying to stop counterfeiting, but everyone knows what the old bills look like.
W: Other countries have money that have different colors and different sizes, and it works for them.
M: [getting off at Grand Central] Anyway, I hope you have fun at the parade.
W: Thanks, hope everything works out for your dad.
Wow, that was surreal.