Category: F train

(a Katie-like entry)

On the F train this evening, a black woman in her 40s or 50s shaking convulsively and preaching in a Caribbean accent. She wore all white and a white turban. Her faux Louis Vuitton white bag with multicolored emblems took up a sideways row of seats while she stood in front of a visibly furious couple (Jewish, I believe) intoning GOD GOD GOD SATAN SATAN GOD, FORGIVE THESE SINNERS, etc etc. She wasn’t quite in glossolalia mode, but she might as well have been. I thought that someone should come and put a cape around her as if she were James Brown.

I noticed that most of those she was preaching to appeared to be Jewish or Muslim (but of course, who knows).

Once we got to Smith and 9th, the couple she was brandishing her fists and words at tried calling 911 on their cell phones to report her, but to no avail — she headed to other end of the train and got off at 4th Avenue.

I really wanted to turn to the pretty young orthodox Jewish girls sitting next to me with their straightened hair, heavy stockings, and multiple shopping bags from exclusive stores, and say “thin line between religion and mental illness, hmm?” But instead I just said “it’s going to get much colder this week.”

What are you gonna do?