Stuck on the Subway

A sudden stop, the engines shut
As folks glance up from reading.
Some shrug, some cluck and others (me!)
Have faces pinched and pleading.

A minute passes, maybe two,
But then there’s an announcement:
“A passenger is sick, so we
Are stuck,” is the pronouncement.

I take a breath and try my best
To read my magazine
And block the fact I’m in a tunnel,
Trapped and in-between.

Beside me is a six year old,
His first time on a train,
With unrelenting questions
Which could drive a soul insane.

His presence is a godsend, though,
A wonderful distraction,
Allowing me to settle down
And fake a calm reaction.

At last, the motor rumbles on
And life is back on track,
Preventing what I dreaded –
An anxiety attack.

I wonder, though, about the rider
Whom they said was sick;
My heart’s still drumming
But that guy’s recovery was quick!