dif•fi•dent /dífident/ adj.


1. shy; lacking self-confidence.
2. excessively reticent.


The old polish lady who sat next to him was carrying a bag filled with chicken legs. He pictured them leaping up out of the bag, playfully, mischievously rubbing against the others making squeak toy noises as they moved. Children would shriek with joy. The woman with the nice eyes would touch him on his paunchy shoulder and emit a soft sound that means "something amazing is happening", a leg would then leap into her arms to be cradled. He would rise and they would stand there, all together on the gum stained subway platform and sing. Oh how they would sing! YES...but...no. Not today. Today the legs would remain diffident and still, soaking in their own blood.