Notes from Underground

Are some people oblivious to the fact that they are in public while on the Metro? There is an attractive, well-dressed young woman who rides the Red Line each morning into the heart of D.C. and spends the half-hour grooming herself with the contents of a large cosmetic case on her lap. Out comes a lit magnifying mirror, and the show begins. First, on goes the foundation. Then powder and rouge. Sometimes before the lip gloss, a little flossing of the pearly whites. On Wednesdays -- before application of various eye shadows, eyeliner and mascara -- her eyebrows get plucked and the chin is examined for a stray hair or two.

Finally, flowing hair is teased and brushed and sprayed until perfected from all angles in the mirror.

I never ride in the evening with this vision of beauty out of a bottle. Can anyone tell me if she does reverse grooming while homeward bound, ending her ride with facial cleanser, night cream, curlers, all ready to don her eye mask for sleep?

-- Liesel McCurry, Derwood

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

What do single girls do on the Metro? Of course, we check guys out. Once, we were arriving at Dupont Circle, and I saw a guy waiting -- yes, he was a total hottie. I just couldn't take my eyes off him. He was tall and blond with a bit of European attitude. While I lost myself to that dazzling beauty, my friend woke me up by saying, "Stop." I asked her what she meant. As she didn't want him to know that we were talking about him, she said in Spanish, "Ese chico" ("That guy"). He was glancing at us.

"Mira, quizas habla español." ("Hey, he might speak Spanish.")

"No, no lo creo." ("I don't think so.")

"Quizas tenemos que hablar en francés?" ("Maybe we should talk in French?")

But then, my boy asked "Quien no parece hablar español?" ("Who does not seem to speak Spanish?") Obviously, he spoke Spanish and definitely knew that we were talking about him. Unfortunately, we had to get off at the next stop, but a lesson learned: Speak Spanish on the Metro, and who knows?

-- Soyen Park, Washington

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