Member-only story
I met a Queen
… on the Subway
The other day, on my way to a notary appointment where I was interpreting, I found myself in a nearly full subway. It was early, and people were quiet, half awake. At the next stop, the doors opened, and a very old, very thin lady stepped in. Her movements were slow and shaky. I watched her make her way through the crowd, wobbling slightly with each step, and I felt my whole body tense, ready to jump up if she needed help.
When she reached the seat opposite mine, I instinctively stretched out my hand so she could steady herself. She lowered herself onto the seat without incident, and as the tension eased, a smile spread across my face.
“You have a beautiful hat,” I said, trying to ease the tension that still lingered in me.”
She wore a small Turkish hat adorned with golden ornaments, covered by a transparent gold-tinted shawl that kept it securely in place. It made her look like a princess from a faraway land. Maybe even from Scandinavia, I thought, and almost laughed at the contrast.
She smiled softly and nodded.
“You know where I bought it?” she asked, with the mischievous tone of a little girl. “Down at the Bosporus.”
“It really suits you perfectly,” I said, unable to stop admiring her.
