My name is Mikey, yo

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In Chicago when I took the El from Sheridan to Chicago Ave., I never ran into the same people twice. Never. So, I was wondering if I would recognize anyone now that I ride the subway again. My first day, this skinny short white guy got on the train at Walnut/Locust. He had a bleary eyed look as if he'd been working the night shift or smoking pot or both and he was wearing this puffy black jacket with "Mikey" stitched in white cursive. This first second I saw him, I thought, He was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. He just didn't look right. I also noticed that he had a blue homemade tattoo in the webbing by his thumb on his right hand; the kind of tattoo you do yourself or that you get in prison. I know this sounds totally classist and it is. He got off the train before I did; can't remember which stop, maybe Spring Garden. Anyway, I noticed him mostly because of his jacket. At the end of the day, I was riding back and Mikey got on again. We had both had a full day's work. I wondered if he recognized me. Probably not. I've only seen him one other time since then, but I liked that I saw him twice in the same day.

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