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fandomhigh2013-07-11 09:56 am
professor-lyman.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2013-07-11 09:56 am
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Practical Etiquette [Thursday, July 11, 2013, 2nd period]
Josh's class was meeting in the Danger Room, which today had been programmed to look like the Dupont Circle North Washington DC Metro station. Busy commuters in suits, groups of teenagers in matching t-shirts and tourists looking lost streamed past them as they gathered off to the side of an escalator that was out of service.
"Good morning, people," Josh said, finishing his to-go cup of coffee and tossing it into the trash can before noticing Mordin Solusif he's there, "--and others," he tacked on, blinking rapidly. "I'm Josh Lyman, that's your TA Lex Luthor," he said, pointing Lex out, "and this is practical etiquette. Today we will go from here--Dupont Circle--to Capitol Hill without killing anyone." He shook his head. "It's tougher than it looks. You'll face broken escalators, tourists who have no idea where they are going, and far too many people in a subway car with a broken air conditioning unit."
He ticked off points on his fingers. "A few rules to know: you stand on the right of the escalators--provided they're working, of course--and walk to the left. You let people off of the cars before you cram on and move to the center. You don't put your bags on a seat if there are people standing. You don't hang from the poles, nor do you use them to do pole dances. You also don't rest your butts on them--people need to hold onto them. You don't talk loudly on the cars, or play loud music, or really make eye contact if you can avoid it. You don't touch other people--again, if you can avoid it, sometimes the braking at stations can knock everyone over like bowling pins--and you can't eat or drink on the DC Metro system."
He grinned. "Right. Your assignment is to buy a ticket, go from here to Union Station and not get into any altercations with your fellow commuters. Go."
"Good morning, people," Josh said, finishing his to-go cup of coffee and tossing it into the trash can before noticing Mordin Solus
He ticked off points on his fingers. "A few rules to know: you stand on the right of the escalators--provided they're working, of course--and walk to the left. You let people off of the cars before you cram on and move to the center. You don't put your bags on a seat if there are people standing. You don't hang from the poles, nor do you use them to do pole dances. You also don't rest your butts on them--people need to hold onto them. You don't talk loudly on the cars, or play loud music, or really make eye contact if you can avoid it. You don't touch other people--again, if you can avoid it, sometimes the braking at stations can knock everyone over like bowling pins--and you can't eat or drink on the DC Metro system."
He grinned. "Right. Your assignment is to buy a ticket, go from here to Union Station and not get into any altercations with your fellow commuters. Go."
Re: Take the Metro!
He would approach and attempt to diffuse, but Lyman had warned not to make eye contact. Must be a rudeness thing.
So, eyes roaming to avoid meeting theirs, he leaned over and chirped to the nearest one with long hair, "Hello. Mordin Solus. Salarian. Willing to answer questions about my species. Perhaps would clear up some nervousness. Knowledge key to acceptance."
"Back off, lizard," a taller, bulkier human threatened, shoving Mordin lightly as more of a warning than anything.
Mordin resisted a counterattack and retreated to the left side of the car, hoping he hadn't failed day one of his class.
They kept staring, but with a little more fear and menace.