essentials

A minuscule woman with a tight, rubbed face entered the subway car at 181st. So thin that she provided no resistance to her oily coat, her sweater arms sagged inches below its cuffs. She tottered fiercely about, alternately challenging people to fight and telling of times she gave advice to children who's parents weren't around when they needed them. She warned that she could take any of our jobs, and do them better, so none of us had better laugh at her. "I knows everything you do, so you better watch your step!" Going on like this for about 10 stops, she waited until the last minute to open up: "I don't usually go on like this. I'm a nice person. Before I got on the train, somebody was hassling me, laughing. They are gone now. I just need some help - some money."