The best thing I have seen since...

... I started taking new York city transit regularly was the following:

Though it was only a month or so ago, the line in my memory that distinguishes January from February was blurred by the coldness, so I cannot be more specific as to the date. But, it was cold and oppressive conditions and I had been working outside all day, on my feet.

On the E train I continued to stand due to the train's capacity. As usual I walked quickly to the G across the 23rd/Ely/Court Sq. station in Queens. I snuck in just as the bell was sounding for the train to leave the station to an orange seat (in fact an entire empty 5-seat [2 x 3 'L' shape] section).

The section adjacent to me was full of people. There was a family of five: two adults and three children under the age of 7. On the 2-seat bench (closest to me [or base of the 'L']) was the mother and two of the children. Both boys, one was on her lap and the other nestled between her and the wall/window of the car. The three seat section held the father and a young girl. There was little space left since all five were wearing big poofy black jackets.

This was particularly true of the man and the girl; their two bodies (with jacketed poofiness) erased almost all the orange from sight. Even sitting down it was clear that neither the man or woman were over 5'4". This was a short and squaty crew to be certain.

I didn't really notice them until the first stop and the mother was wrapping up her successful attempt to quiet her boys. She seemed tired and slightly on edge, and I noticed the father noticing that as well, but his fatigue seemed to be mixed with a sense of satisfaction.

As he sat there beginning to find pride in his wife, just before she looked up to acknowledge him, the girl tugged harder, than her first two tries, on his puffed jacket such that he could feel it, and gain his attention. She got it, and he lowered his head and shoulders to hear what she had to say.

It was something I wouldn't repeat to you here even if I could have understood what she said. The next thing I knew she was burying her head in the cushion of his outer layer and closing her eyes with peace that passes understanding. He was obviously satisfied, and gently closed his eyes as well.

By this point I think my glare into this picture had become obvious to these engaged parents. The father opened his eyes and saw me staring. All I could give was a dopey, lip-grin, and eye-brows that said, "sorry for staring, but you guys are so dag gone cute I cannot stop looking on with some sense of envy, kudos..."

All-day long I had been trying to attract positive attention to myself, and now I was out of place and violating the most pulchritudinous thing I had witnessed in months.

The train stopped. The doors opened and I disappeared back into the cold night a few minutes later through a hall that echoed some way above average subway music, especially for the G line. Simple and soulful.