On board or at least you better be

You have only a window of time before you can jump onto the subway before the doors close. The process is unforgiving and emotionless: Even if you are running towards the door, there's no guarantee that the door will wait for you.

Unless, of course, someone stands in the way of the door closing.

Some cars have an automated voice that rings out, "Beware the closing door." The lines I usually ride do not, and the conductor has to come on and announce the doors are shutting. This afternoon, something went horribly wrong. Some thoughtless soul stood between the conductor and his departure (i.e. between the doors) and we couldn't leave. The conductor asked in his usual manner to step away from the doors. A few moments later, as we had not left, he got on the intercom again, but he was not calm. In fact, I would go so far as to say he was mad. He yelled over the intercom, "Stand away from the doors!"

I was a bit shocked. I've never heard an employee of the MTA get so upset. I never thought about it before, but this is not a taxing job: You push the gas, you hit the breaks. Doors open, doors close. Repeat. But I suppose dealing with New Yorkers can get tedious. And if someone is interfering with one-fourth of your job responsibility, hey, that could upset the best of us.