Sermon on the No. 2 Train

By GARY STADTMAUER

Dear Diary:

This happened on the No. 2 subway train heading downtown a year or two after 9/11.

It was a bustling morning commute with standing room only. Along with the usual assortment of people heading to work was a middle-aged woman, dressed conservatively and wearing a hat, who was loudly preaching the Bible.

Rather than taking a spot near the middle of the car or by an exit, she was hovering over one woman and clearly interfering with her enjoyment of the morning newspaper. This young woman eventually became annoyed and asked the preacher to move.

An argument ensued and our preacher became exasperated, and screamed out to the entire car “Lord, all I know is if that there is another terrorist attack, I'm going to heaven.”

The response came quickly in the form of a deep voice from the back of the train, in perfectly pronounced New York style: “You're goin' to Brooklyn.”

The e ntire car laughed and the sermon was over.

Read all recent entries and our updated submissions guidelines. Reach us via e-mail: diary@nytimes.com or telephone: (212) 556-1333. Follow @NYTMetro on Twitter using the hashtag #MetDiary.