To The Man on the Victoria Line,
Today, you sat opposite me on the train, as we travelled in similar directions to work. It was a typical rush hour commute in London: the train was packed with sweaty, impatient people and as I applied my makeup, you jabbed aimlessly at your phone.
I think you were in your twenties- like me- but apart from that, we looked worlds apart. I was in my Ugg boots, looking for a comfortable commute, hurriedly attempting to cover the dark circles under my eyes before I got to work; and you sat in a fitted suit, your shoes shining with perfect polish.
But then, at Kings Cross, something happened that we both could not avoid. A Muslim man came onto the train.
He wore a full kameez, a beard, a religious hat… and he completed this look with a large bag wrapped around his body.
The second he boarded the train, the carriage emptied. Every single person on our carriage got off- including commuters who had only just got on.
But you didn’t.
You were the only person who stayed on that carriage with me, once the Muslim man had got on. No one was scared of me, a person who follows the same religion. But everyone was terrified of him. Except you.
In fact, you smiled politely at him when he caught your eye, and continued jabbing aimlessly at your mobile phone, like you hadn’t even noticed what had just happened.
You looked beyond the attire which has been engraved into our minds as the costume of a monster, and saw the man for what he really was: an innocent commuter, just like you and I.
For the next few stops, you and I were exactly alike. We were the two people who refused to follow a blinded, poisoned population. We recognised that as these people stepped off for their safety, they were stepping into something that was far, far more dangerous.
And for that, I want to say thank you, Mr Man on the Victoria Line, for reassuring me that there are some people left- albeit only a few- who will stay on the carriage when we are on it. Whether the Muslim looks like me, or him.
Share This:
Wow! My favourite one so far! I really worry about the current climate and the racial tension that I thought was a thing of the past. It is shocking how quickly things can escalate. Thank you for enlightening us.
This put a massive smile on my face. It is very to the point and plays with expectations but by far the best thing is that it concentrates on seeing what is positive and giving thanks for that, however small it seems! Beautiful message.
This is a great article. I travel to the city for work every day, and you can notice a change in the atmosphere as soon as anyone with a beard boards the train. These are scary times.
Excellent master piece. Well Done . This article show what a wrong impression of Muslims are around these days .Islam is region of peace & teachs not to harm anyone. Look after your neighbors, friends & Family members. Plus follow the law of the country you are living in, that is extremely important. I am disappointed by Media trying to deliberately show apposite side which has nothing to do with Muslims or Islam . In my opinion these sick & selfish people are not Muslims as they are doing things which are totally against the principle of Islam YB
A short and sweet article with a powerful and frightening message – I’m loving Mr Man for not being a sheep. I really hope that people keep educating themselves to form their own opinions rather than being blinded by the media hype.
Hi Mehreen, great blog and nice to meet you the other day! Let me know if you want tickets to the show. X
Heya! How wonderful to hear from you. I can’t believe you really did find my blog. I would absolutely love to come to a show, I’m going to drop you an email now! Mehreen xx