I waited 20 minutes for the Muni train to work yesterday. San Francisco is in a major budget crisis, so they have had to cut lines and frequency of trains. “Budget crisis” seemed abstract, until I found myself waiting and waiting in fog so thick it felt like gravity-defying rain. I stood between two older Asian men, taking shelter in the venn diagram of their umbrellas brushing together above my head. When it finally arrived Muni was packed with students on their way to school – I had to wedge myself in a corner between three skinny girls and their enormous backpacks.
They all had long brown hair, wore high-top sneakers and little heart shaped earrings. One sported thick glasses, one wore electric-colored makeup, and the third was clearly In Charge, telling the latest news at a rapid mumble -
“You know that girl we thought was a dude? Well, she’s a girl for sure, I saw her in the locker room”
“For reals?” Electric Makeup leans in closer.
“For reals.”
“Did she have boobs?”
“Yeah – little ones”
They giggle.
“You seen this girl?”
They turn to Glasses Girl, who shakes her head.
“Well, maybe you just thought she was 100% dude and didn’t even notice something was up. She so looks like a dude it’s crazy man.”
“How does she look like a dude if she’s a girl?” Glasses girl wonders.
“Well, she wears guys gym shoes every day” says Electric Makeup.
“Yeah, and these baggy jeans, and a, a big tee shirt, so, you can’t, you know, see anything” In Charge adds. They have clearly given this a lot of thought.
“That’s weird”
“Weird-o-weird”
“I know. I wonder what her problem is. Like, maybe no one’s told her what girls are supposed to wear?”
“Or maybe her family is really poor and she has to wear her brothers’ hand-me-downs”
“Or maybe she’s a lesbian”
They giggle, moving toward the exit.
“Let’s ask her at lunch!”
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