Midnight Train to Georgia...

Twice a week I commute from Ocean Grove NJ to NYC by commuter train. I have come to cherish these 96 minutes of down time in the Quiet Car. And the views are just lovely. I just took this photo after looking up from my reading to see how far we'd come. There is something about bodies of water that soothes my "always in go-mode" soul. While looking up I notice two women and become enthralled with the goings on.

Commuting is THE great equalizer. Diagonally across the aisle from me is the first woman, a well-heeled commuter who is putting on her make-up with a practiced hand, while diagonally across the aisle from her and up one row is a down-but-not-out woman doing the same thing. Ms. Well-Heeled is doing so with lovely compacts that are complete with makeup and all of the necessary assortment of brushes and tools...Ms. Down-But-Not-Out, meanwhile, busily searches through her whole assortment of goodies in various worn-but-still-useful plastic bags. Each makeup item in its original box or pouch. She is carefully taking them out of and then putting them back in their proper place. Intently and efficiently they both attend to the business at hand. Quite the juxtaposition, yes. But -- the end result for both is the same; each one looks perfectly made up and ready for the day ahead. If it were appropriate, I'd give them a round of applause.