For Faith - a graphic novella

Morning trains are always packed, but almost less threatening, in a way.
Everyone feels as though they’re in the same situation. If you’re in a train
that’s leaving at 8:51 in the morning, you can live with the security that
everyone else on that train is going to be exactly as late as you are. The
moment you step off, the stairs will move at a fixed but still impressive pace.
No one will slip even if it’s raining, the dogmatic nature of their American
work ethic will get them there fast, even if it’s nowhere in particular.
I had a friend that told me that you’re supposed to look at -
well, not that you’re supposed to look at, but that everyone looks at each
other’s shoes on the subway. I wore a decent pair today, white sneaker
bottomed leather oxfords, one of my favorite pairs, but it’s not about that
right now. He told me it’s a method of looking at each other’s class, and
finding out more about a person without looking at them. Maybe that’s why
people buy $500 sneakers, was my first thought.
Really, though - that’s
why people might wear
cheap payless or rag-tag
sneakers, even if they can
afford something better.
They’re wearing them so they
specifically go unnoticed,
unassuming that you wouldn’t
even spend time looking at
their shoes, let alone the
rest of them - and you’d move
on to the next pair.