I’ve been riding the subways pretty regularly for 15 years, and never saw this until yesterday. I entered the 28th Street station just as the 6 was pulling away. There was a handful of people on the platform. Curiously, the dotted line of humanity stopped some 30 feet from the end of the platform, where people always wait so they can get on at the front of the train. 

 I got closer and saw that a few of them were peering ahead at something. A Bear Stearns suit coughing up a liquid lunch at Park Avenue Country Club? A homeless guy moving his bowels?

Neither. As I got closer, I saw a rat traipsing about at the end of the platform. I’ve seen mice scurrying across the platform into a hole. I’ve of course seen rats gamboling about on the tracks. But never a rat on the platform.

Rats on platforms. Wesley Autry on the track bed. Strange days, indeed.