Late last night, after my shift at the Tribeca Film Festival, I was headed home on the subway and seated across from me was a "crazy" guy. I use the term "crazy" in quotes because there is a very broad category of "crazies" in New York City, which one may publicly encounter at any given moment. The ones I am referring to now, are the ones that are most inclined to remove their shoes in public. This fella that sat across from me last night was one such fella.

If you are to ride on the New York City subway system, you are likely to encounter a "crazy" person who displays many, if not all, of the following characteristics, which I find to be oddly uniform across genders and varying ages, races, and walks of life:

1. Prefers the two-seater at the very front or back of the subway car, directly next to the door between cars (often used to set up camp for long rides, and sometimes doubles as a make-shift bathroom)

2. Carries on a conversation with his or her self which is mostly inaudible, but appears to be of a very serious subject matter. (often his/her eyes will be closed, and emphatic hand gestures will be used to drive home important points)

3. TAKES OFF HIS OR HER SHOES for no apparent reason. (crazies will frequently be seen sniffing their shoes, and even commenting on the scent. I recently witnessed a crazy guy remove one shoe at a time, to take a huge whiff of each. Upon breathing in the aroma of the second shoe he stuck his hand out, palm faced down, then tilted it to one side then the other, giving his shoe a "so, so" assessment.)

4. Giggles avidly and then becomes very enraged immediately afterward.

5. Wears several coats in the summer time, yet complains out loud about being hot.

There are many times when I not only think of removing my shoes in public, but actually do it, for any number of reasons. Sometimes my feet feel restricted and I feel compelled to release my aching dogs for a breath of fresh air. Other times I have an itch which simply cannot be successfully subsided without removal of a shoe. My concern, now, is that I will be mistaken for a crazy person. Sometimes I laugh out loud by myself....I do like to sit alone so no one touches me, and those secluded 2-seaters are perfect for isolation...do you think people who observe this behavior perceive me to be an NYC crazy?