PART 2: PERSONAL HYGIENE

This morning I was reading my local neighborhood blog by the Prince of Petworth, and what did I find to be the second entry today? You got it... a story about personal hygiene and the disgust of one of my neighbors who sat next to a guy on the train who was cutting his fingernails. Below is the entire entry (edited to remove some vulgar language):

When riding the metro please don’t clip your nails. True story. I’m riding the metro this morning and a guy takes a nail clipper out and starts clipping his nails right in the middle of the train. I was freaking disgusted. So I was inspired by my dad speaking out against litter and decided to say something. Let me just set the scene a bit better.

It was rush hour on the Green line and I was sitting down across the aisle from this guy. This guy was well dressed, had leather luggage, was probably 6 feet tall and 275 pounds. It was a fat 275 pounds but I have no doubt he could’ve crushed me rather easily. But I figure we all have our limits and I couldn’t believe he was clipping his nails right in the middle of the train. So I stare at him with a look of disgust and he stares back at me.

So I say “you know that behavior is generally frowned upon in public spaces.” And he says, rather angrily, “that’s what you think”. And I said, “no, that is what is society thinks”. And he says, “no that is what you think.” And it was pretty much a stalemate at that point. I couldn’t believe that nobody else jumped in on my side. He then continues clipping his nails. And the nails are falling on the floor, it was beyond foul. So I ask the lady next to me if I was out of line. And she said, she would rather not give an opinion. Ok.

Well, am I crazy or is clipping your fingernails on public transport generally frowned upon by society?

I couldn't agree with this guy more. Why is it so hard for people to deal with their personal hygiene at home? What can we do about these problems?!?!