Two odd events

This might be a bit hard to explain. Today I went up to the Bronx to explore. I got as far as 241st Street and got bored. I hopped on a downtown #1 train and decided to ride it all the way down to the South Ferry stop to ride the Staten Island Ferry (I got on at the furthest north stop and took it all the way to the furthest south and last stop). On the subway ride I sat across from a kid who was an "old soul" and appeared to be about 35 though he was probably around 18. He just looked old, had a 5 o'clock shadow and dressed like an older person--a polo shirt and navy blue, loose fitting uniform pants. But, he carried a book bag and an iPod. Anyway, as we were riding he would continually make these show-your-teeth grimaces, like you might make if you were trying to take off a very tight lid of a jar. Then he would interlock his fingers and squeeze them together, "wringing" his hands I guess you might say, until his fingers momentarily turned white. A gesture like he was trying to grind spices in his palm. Then (it gets weirder), he would shift his eyes back and forth to make sure no one was watching, pull his shirt up slightly exposing bare skin, grab the little rolls of flab around his belly and pinch them between his thumb and index finger like a little clamp and he'd grimace again showing his teeth. As he went through this ritual he constantly kept looking to see if anyone was watching. I had sunglasses on and I assumed he thought I was sleeping.

I was glad he sat across from me. Long trips like that can be boring and I sat there in utter amazement, thoroughly entertained. Thank you, old boy.

Waiting for the 1 train at 168th. Very watercolor-like tones.
Walking through a flock of pigeons in Central Park. (click on it)
A huge old tree backlit, up on the hill at The Cloisters.
Tonight I went to some photo event on 18th Street. Lots of beer and wine but unlike in the years prior at this event, the food sucked. It's put on by stock photography agencies trying to get publishers to buy their photos. I sneak in with friends from Conde Nast.

Checking in, a woman with a fake left arm made small talk with me. Her arm had a mannequin looking hand on it with a "Terminator"/robotic elbow. I didn't stare but I wanted to. After the event as I was getting on the uptown A train I passed a guy missing his right leg. I didn't stare but I wanted to.