Today, I encountered my first...

...Hong Kong subway-riding conspiracy theory expounder. I had started to miss the random regulars of the New York subway -- particularly the "entertainer" on the 1/9 with the Michael Jackson jokes and "Hot in Here" singalong. Anyways, back to this guy... although he was expounding in Cantonese, I understood a few key words: "Bush," "White House" and "TVB" (a Hong Kong TV network). The details of his theory were more than a bit fuzzy to me, but what was more interesting than watching/listening to him was watching the reactions of the other subway riders. One young man put his arm protectively around his girlfriend and turned them both away from the man, pretending to stare out the window. Most others opted for the "look down and avert gaze" technique -- common in New York also, but New York isn't a land of starers like Hong Kong is (ask anyone, particularly women and non-Chinese folks who've lived here). The thing that really surprised me though was that the minute the man stepped off the train, a man struck up conversation about him with the stranger sitting opposite. And, they chatted for a good few minutes until one of the two got off. I really think it's the first time I've ever seen strangers on the subway converse here. People just don't do it. So, as much as they might have been saying the man was crazy, they were also acknowledging that he's clearly a thinker and partially right. What's more, they were thinking and talking about his points -- even if only for a few minutes -- and to a complete stranger. If the man only knew, I'd say he'd be proud of himself.