Conversation on the N Train
Deb is on the N Train. A Mother and Three Year Old sit close to Deb.
Three Year Old: 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29…
Mother: What comes after 29?
Three Year Old: 30? 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39…40. 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49…
Mother: Now, what comes after 49?
Three Year Old: 50! 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60….61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70…71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99…
Panic spreads across Three Year Old’s face.
Three Year Old: 99….
Mother, annoyed, turns to Three Year Old.
Mother: What comes after 99?
Three Year Old: 99…
Mother: Come on, Three Year Old, what comes after 99?
Tears start to fill Three Year Old’s eyes. He looks to Deb for help. Deb mouths “100”.
Three Year Old: 100?
Mother snaps at Deb.
Mother: Did you help him? Did you? Well, did you?
Deb: Um.
N Train stops at 42nd Street. Deb runs out.
