"Excuse me, but..."

The subway is a very personal place for me. I'm surrounded by tens of people, likely over a hundred on a rush-hour car. (Maybe next time I'll count...) Headphones in or headphones out (a topic I've written on in the past), I tend to avoid conversation.

There have been rare instances in which I will engage when someone else says something to me, and even rarer still when I will be the one to ignite the interaction.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but you dropped [your glove, pencil, other small item that I'm comfortable picking up and handing to you]" is about as far as I'll go. Others will give the "Excuse me, sir, but your bag is open." I'm yet to see someone say "Excuse me, sir, but your fly is unzipped," but I await the day.

Today, though, I had mild embarrassment when I let someone move from leaning against the door and took hit spot in order for him to sit down in the seat I was standing in front of, newly vacated. I thought he was going to say thank you, but no, he gave me the "come hitehr" finger (that I'd much rather be getting from an attractive lady-type) and said, "Hey, Man; you've got something on your nose."

We had a good laugh about it, me thanking him, and him telling me that he just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be embarrassed when going home to a girl or something of the sort.

I still think I'm not comfortable telling someone else he's got something on his nose, but I'm glad this guy did. I mean, I went home to an empty apartment, but still; it's nice to know he's lookin' out for me.