I sat down on the subway, stretching my arms above my head. A few other
people straggled on, sitting or standing where they could find room. A
young girl sat with her mother, both staring at me. I stared back;
they were across from me, the mother in jeans and a brown sweater, the
girl in a yellow dress. She looked maybe five or six. She leaned toward
her mother, who whispered something in her ear. They both averted their
eyes from me, and I picked up a newspaper from the floor and started
to read. The news was all politics, thoroughly disinteresting ---- and
interrupted as the girl pulled down the paper to say ``I'm sorry for
staring.'' I just kind of looked at her, confused, until she stepped back
to her seat glumly. I watched  her lean on her mother. I awkwardly moved
my foot along the floor tiles. When she got up to leave, I said quietly
``I'm sorry too.'' She smiled, and left.