he took up the whole train car
covered completely the doors that slid open when i stepped towards the train
his shoulders spread out like eagle’s wings
four heads taller than me, he had tree root limbs and a beer mug hand that gripped the pole next to him like he planned to pull it from the floor
the shifting of his weight rocked the tunnel and i wondered with timid curiosity
how no one else could feel it
ten more seconds and the doors will close again
ten more seconds and the train will drag itself away
ten more seconds and the mountain of a man in that car will be gone

but i had no ten seconds
i hopped over the threshold
he stayed still and silent as a fit myself neatly in next to him
looking up to his face was for naught
i found only woolen beard
and the greenbluegray of thick tattoo lines
how there could be enough ink in the world to cover those arms, i didn't know, but covered they were
left and right nearly all around

nearly

the bare skin on the inside of his forearm pulled my eyesight in that direction
it was smooth where there were no rivers of ink
it was smooth until i saw them
ridges and bumps
horizontal across that vulnerable white
horizontal except for the deepest ones;
those
were straight down
his scars were old
i could tell that
whiter than the ivory he already was
wanting to fade,
stretching out
little limbs
trying to
to sink
back in

who knows if they ever will

scar tissue
they say
is stronger than the rest
and that skin was strong