On an L.A. metro train

On an L.A. metro train
(nobody rides them
except crazy people),
I did something stupid.

I won’t say just what
because I don’t want to glorify
my actions. It was not a glorious thing to do,
it was a stupid thing to do.

A female beggar sitting across from me
was talking out the side of her face
to no one in particular,
asking to trade her panhandled coins for bills.

The sparse train car
was trying its best to pay attention
to anything else.

A security officer walked the center aisle,
coming from behind us,
asking to see tickets.

He asked the coin changer and she
lied the story of purchasing her ticket
while act-riffling through her effects,
where did her ticket go?

Then I did the stupid thing
and I should have been arrested,
the woman behind me said,
the cop was just a softy.

You can’t do things like that,
what would your mother think if you were arrested,
another said,
you’re not someone special.

Two other people patted me on the back,
you're a hero they said,
but never to do something like that
ever again.