Donnakusai

Which roughly translates as smelly sounding in Osaka-ben, and is the only word I can use to describe what has been happening to me over the past few days.

Friday morning: 8:15AM. I am at 59th station in Brooklyn waiting to transfer to the N line express to make my way to Manhattan. While the N line is much better than it was 4 years ago, it is horribly inconsistent; sometimes getting to Union Square in 20 minutes, sometimes in 50. Anyway, I jump on the line and notice a homeless guy sitting in the corner. Perhaps its important to add that the first thing I noticed was that the car seemed empty for a weekday morning at 8AM, the third thing I noticed was the two Japanese girls running out of the car screaming "kusai!" (bad smelling). The car reeked and everyone started running to the other end to escape it. Even the conductor sent a cop down to check it out and left the doors open long enough for me to escape into a much more crowded, yet less smelly car.

Friday night: 10:15PM. After watching the fairly bad Ultraviolet, I made my way to meet some friends in a bar near Houston Street called Iggy's. The Q train pulled into the 42nd station, somewhat empty, but not unexpected as it was Saint Patty's Day and many had picked their place for the night. Within a few seconds of sitting down, in the middle of the car no less, it hit me again. Not as potent, but the distinctive smell of non-bathed flesh. Next stop and I was out on the R train anyway to get to the local stop I needed.

Saturday morning: 9:24AM. I was waiting on the platform for the train back into the city after crashing in Queens. The train pulls in, people start to get on the car I'm about to enter, until the stench pours out of the car and into my nostrils. The perfect timing of this with the opening doors allowed me to rechoose my entrance and avoid another situation.

Now, I'm waiting on the platform at 59th Street in Manhattan, for the 6 to go to the gym. Let's hope I don't have any more pleasant experiences.