Ladybug on the L Train

Yesterday, I was in a typical rush hour travel scene at Union Square Station in New York City, dashing down the stairs to catch the overpopulated and freezing L train to my lovely borough of Brooklyn. Barely squeezing through the train, I was simply relieved to be on my way home when a woman tapped me on my shoulder and pointed to my elbow. Now, being a New Yorker for many years, I tend to take taps on the shoulders to not mean a great deal [they usually result from me stepping on someone's toes or being mistaken for a friend/loved-one/business colleague]. So, imagine my surprise when I looked down at my elbow and saw a little red laby bug hanging on for dear life! How did this little creature manage to survive me pushing through Union Square, haggling through the subway station and rushing onto the train, all with gusting winds and hoards of people, when it was just a minute fraction of the size I was? I stared at it for several seconds and then tried to get it onto my hand only to sighed because, really, what could I do? I didn't want to kill it, and I definitely wasn't going to just get off of the train at a random stop because of this little creature. I gave the woman who tapped my shoulder a shrug and smile, and she responded in kind, and I decided that if the little bug could survive the trip to Dekalb Ave with me, I'd make sure to set it free on a tree outside of my apartment. After about two stops, I finally maneuvered the labybug onto my hand, and stood against the door for 8 more stops, watching her try to navigate the ridges of my fingers, to figure out where her beloved Union Square Park had gone, and watched her finally resting on the nail of my thumb. I'm sure I looked crazy; I could feel people staring at me from all corners of the train. "Just a girl with her ladybug, nothing to see here." Lo and behold, the doors opened at DeKalb Ave, I walked up the stairs slowly with her still resting on my thumb, and brought her safely to a tree on Stockholm St. Funny thing, I actually had to push her a bit to get her off my finger! Perhaps we bonded a bit too much on that long subway ride.

Something like this just makes me feel so...nice :)