Electrified

I have a theory that there's always more excitement in the rear car of the train. Maybe it's because it's the farthest from the conductor and the motorman. Maybe it's because there was always more craziness at the back of the school bus, and some people are just trying to relive their glory days. Maybe it's just in my imagination. Anyhow, I was at least correct one Wednesday night, when I got on the rear car of downtown-bound A-train at 175th St. It was relatively empty, but certainly not quiet. A man sitting by himself at one end was very agitated, and seemed to be reliving many events in his life in quick succession, shouting his reaction to those events as he experienced them. He was very loud. At the other end of the car was a scrawny twentyish man with an electric guitar and a battery-powered amp whose volume had clearly been set to eleven. He tried out a variety of riffs until he felt satisfied, and then finally began with the usual, "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, for the interruption..." He then went on to tell us that he was on the cusp of becoming a very famous musician, and that he was going to play us what would be his first hit. Having thereby introduced himself, he launched into his song, which was TERRIBLE, and sounded a lot like a beginner guitar-player's attempt to channel Radiohead. Everyone grimaced, with the exception of the man at the other end of the car, who looked absolutely captivated, and immediately stopped yelling.
Two women sitting near me, who did not know each other, exchanged glances and started discussing how loud the car was. One pulled out a pair of headphones to shove in her ears, and the two got into a heated debate about which 99-cent store carried the best headphones.
Finally, the guitar-player stopped playing, and started walking around with his hat, asking for donations as a future famous rock-star. Since he clearly was no such thing, no one on the now-full car gave him any money. He looked puzzled for a moment, then changed tactics. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am homeless. I have not eaten all day. If you can spare some change, I would appreciate it." This was much more believable, and clearly more lucrative, based on the response. Even the now-calm man at the other end of the car put something in the hat, although I have no idea if it was money.