Endangered Eavesdropping

I can't believe I said that!

On the light rail today this guy behind me started freaking me out.  This is what I overheard from his phonecall:

"I'd only be in jail for 5 days and then I'll be out.  It's a place to stay with a bed.....I don't give a &*^%$$, we just got to get rid of them.....They've %&**# shot people before.......I know some guys who #@!!*owe me a favor...........I'll be in Cali for a while after......"

How's that to get your imagination running? I sat there trying to figure out what to do.  Was this guy about to commit a murder or did I misunderstand? Is this something you report to the cops?  Should I follow him and see what he does and then call the cops?  I decided that wasn't the wisest of choices and opted to sit tight and endure his foul mouth.  Thankfully, he hung up and a minute later he was sitting across the isle from me.

He struck up a conversation with someone and mentioned he'd been sober for 6 months.  "So I don't get drunk. But it's cool, I smoke weed".

Two people hesitantly congratulated him while I blurted out: "Well that's not much better."

Then the lightrail stopped and EVERYONE in my area left. Well, except for Mr. Covered-in-Tattoos-Potiential-Murderer.  He looked at me, stood up, and sat right in front of me.

Crap.

I have been trying this new thing where I'm not super worried about possibly hurting people's feelings anymore.  It has been rather empowering.  I am starting to say exactly what I think without apology or sugar-coating.  So, Instead of thinking that I might have offended him, I decided to ask him more questions. To heck with minding my own business!

I told him what I was thinking about his phone call, and asked if he was planning a murder.  Then I gave him a little advice on not killing people.  We talked about drugs and addiction; and I gave him a piece of my mind about that as well.  And then we started talking.  He shared his desire to get rid of all his tats and become a police officer. I mentioned that blood on his hands wouldn't work well with that dream.  (Funny how they don't think through all the details.  Kids, don't do drugs. It really makes you stupid).  And then our conversation ended with his cheerful "see ya later" as he hopped of the light-rail.

I'm still scratching my head at that whole conversation.  That guy went from a heebie-jeebie giver, to a thought-deprived idiot, to a guy I just wanted to help.  I NEVER thought I would actually have a conversation with the man cursing like a sailor behind me.  I'm glad he didn't stab me. And I admit it felt great to say exactly what i thought.  This may become a new hobby of mine.