Trax Rule #1

Last week I broke rule #1 of Trax: Do not make eye contact with the crazies.

First of all, I did not plan it. Let me elaborate. On Trax, I tend to make myself appear too busy to speak and/or listen. This particular day; my Ipod was going in both ear plugs with some lovely Five Finger Death Punch playing above the scratch of the metal on metal; and my fingers were at work texting some friends. Clearly my eyes, hands and ears are occupied.

Near the end of the University line, Trax stopped at the Salt Lake County Library. A large clump of people got on in front of my about eight or so rows in front. Crowds interest me, okay? I couldn't help it. I looked at the crowd and there he was, the Crazy Eye King.  Scraggly beard past his collar bone, plaid shirt and dirty pants meant nothing to me. His eyes were so wide they nearly popped out of his face and his eyes acted like the same side of a magnet when pushing them together. Each eye was trying to get as far away from the other in a very pinball like way, but somehow when I looked at this crowd those crazy eyes stopped trying to exit his skull and focused on mine. The wide toothy grin and I desperately glanced at the seat in front of me....facing me. Blast! I tried to position my backpack to thwart him from making the seat his throne, but to no avail.

Crazy Eye King started talking to me...despite my earphones and cell-phone. The next stop, Gallivan Center Plaza, is where I usually catch the Sandy Train.  That block and a half around the corner was the longest ever. I heard him say that he didn't have enough money to eat Chinese food and he loves riding Trax to pass the time. I tried to ignore him in the beginning but those crazy eyes demanded my attention. I mumbled some replies about restaurants being over-priced anyway and that I wished I could ride it for fun and then sweet freedom.

The Trax door opened much like I image the door to a prison. I escaped the Crazy Eye King and will never forget the #1 Rule..No eye contact...at all!