I did a series of illustrations for the TTC Sketch the Line competition — even if they don’t end up getting accepted, these were a lot of fun to do!
When I first moved to the city, riding the subway was a JOY and a TREAT! (“You mean there’s an underground train? That’ll take me exactly I need to go? And it just zooms along and sometimes there are little brown mice in the tunnels and maybe if I’m extra lucky there’ll be a DOG on the train too?”) After a few years, as with anything, the novelty wore off and I’d feel annoyed when the subway was too full or too hot or too slow.
But every once in a while, I’ll look up and scan the people waiting on the platform and I’ll wonder if anyone, in that big crowd of people, told their partner “I love you” for the first time today? Who couldn’t find matching socks and is hoping no one will notice? Who just found out they’re going to be a parent? Who just realized they forgot their packed lunch at home? It makes me a little less annoyed with the subway and a little more aware of all the glimpses of humanity and small niceties that you can catch happening between strangers.