The only communication I have ever had with strangers on the tube is when our train pulled into Baker Street. A bunch of teenage girls got on, and as usual they were being orchestrated by the over confident mouthy one. With absolute authority she lectured her cohort as to which station they were to get off at, and now many stops that would be. To make her point she jabbed her finger at the single line map above the seats as she took complete charge.
Immediately it was apparant to all those with earshot - most of the carriage given her volumn - that they were on the wrong train, heading North when they should have been going towards the city. Spontaniously the occupants of the carriage started making eye contact and surpressed smirks to each other as we all shared in the anticipation of her embarrasment. There was much non verbal communication, eyebrow raising, eye rolling, and building expectation until the tannoy piped up and announced the next station stop.
With that the unfortunate ringmistress's face turned to horror as she realised her fatal error and her authority vanished in a puff of anxiety and lost face. The train arrived at the station, the doors opened and the band of bemused schoolgirls were ordered off by their leader with no explanation. The rest of the passengers finally released and we all laughed loudly until spent, then promptly returned to ignoring each other when the doors closed.
