Dear Diary:
Some people wear their heart on their sleeve; one subway passenger wore his on a cardboard sign over his winter coat.
It was a typical morning on the B train until a handsome 20-something man - with a large sandwich board sign around his neck - entered the train and began to speak.
“I don’t want money; I want advice,†the man began, his voiced filled with despair. “My girlfriend just broke up with me. How can I get her back†The sign he wore featured a large photograph of him being kissed by a beautiful young woman, and boldly headlined: “I LOVE THIS GIRL!â€
He moved from passenger to passenger, offering a felt-tip marker, asking each to write a few words of advice on his sign. Many were touched by his plea, writing comments like: “Good guys deserve to be happy. You’ll find love soon.†The outpouring of support was impressive - both sides of his sign were soon filled with the advice of helpful strangers.
The real magic began when my fellow passegers who, in typical New York fashion, had ignored one another before, spontaneously began to talk, a lively exchange sparked by the universal human experience of the agony of love lost. The West Indian nanny, the retired college professor, the Rite-Aid cashier, the Australian tourist and others â€" all of us spoke candidly about the spectacle we had just witnessed, for sure, but mostly about first loves and recovery from breakups and second chances.
The animated conversation continued all the way uptown.
If you’re wondering (like the song) what becomes of the brokenhearted, I don’t know. He got off at the next stop.
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