SUBWAYS

Going Beneath

As a child, descending through the narrow corridors and crowded platforms—where trains announced their arrival with a gust of hot, stale air and a metallic screech that hurt the ears—was slightly eerie, like entering an unearthly world. But it was also full of excitement and adventure. In my child’s eyes, it was both scary and magical. The passengers—the inhabitants of that world—felt like characters from a fairy tale. And like any child, I loved watching the diversity of human stories, each person on their way somewhere.

That fascination hasn’t faded. I’m still drawn to that underground world, a mirror of the one above.