Crosstown Local Photo du Jour, Part I: Copy-Editing Is Fundamental

After I took the above photograph (on the Queens-bound G train between Metropolitan Avenue and Nassau Avenue) a painfully cute little girl turned to her mother and said:

Mommy, why is that lady taking pictures?

After they completed a hushed conversation in Polish I walked over to them, pointed to this item and said:

If it’s BROKEN, fix it.

The mother proceeded to look up, read it, and started chuckling. She then said:

My daughter was wondering why you were taking a photo of that…

And I heard her. You’d think with a fare hike these people could afford a copy-editor. I mean, really.*

I replied. She laughed again. And I added:

You have a very smart, observant daughter. I bet she doesn’t write or speak like this.

She assured me her daughter would never employ this kind of shoddy grammar. Closing on that note, I would like to humbly propose that the MTA hire this winsome little lass to author advertising copy for them. Hell, have her do their books as well. All two of them.

UPDATE, 4:53 p.m.: It would appear this post has ruffled the feathers of someone who purports to work in the advertising industry. Or egged-on a fellow wise-ass. Lulu Lemon writes:

Before I proceed I’d like to state I rather like Lulu Lemon. Really, I do. The previous having been written, shouldn’t the subject line read “If it ain’t broke, don’t comment on it.” Or if she (?) cares to be imperative: If it ain’t broke, don’t comment on it! And then there are other abuses of our language such as “simply traverse well know(N) phrases”; semicolon and possibly colon neglect.

As for the use of colloquial speech, I would like to build upon Lulu’s tome and advocate the MTA take the populist bull by the proverbial balls and start employing LOL speak for their advertisements and service notices along the Crosstown Local. This way we— the unwashed masses who ride this train every day— will understand the higher ups at the MTA are being “hep” as opposed to merely incompetent. Given this is the G train we are talking about, gentle Greenpoint readers, I suspect I speak for many of you when I write that such disambiguation is needed.

Miss Heather

*Sorry to be pedantic, but I really cannot stomach this kind of shit. We’re talking about very basic English grammar skills here people!