More Metro Copy editing

So the bag thing in the metro really kicked off. Not sure I approve of Metro's copy editing process though.

A couple of people replied to my first letter, I especially liked this guy's response:

"Conor, I get the Dart from Dún Laoghaire to Tara Street at 10.26am. I am 5' 11in with dark hair and wear a suit with a dark grey overcoat, and yes, if there are empty seats, I will put my bag beside me. So, if you see me, maybe you would like to ask me to move it? No? I didn't think so."

Now, who knows what his original email was like? I imagine, his point is that he is a man, not a woman so I wouldn't ask him to move his bag because I only harass women. So, his letter to the Metro was probably originally more like this:

"Conor, I get the Dart from Dún Laoghaire to Tara Street at 10.26am. I am 5' 11in man with dark hair and wear a suit with a dark grey overcoat, and yes, if there are empty seats, I will put my bag beside me. So, if you see me, maybe you would like to ask me to move it? No? I didn't think so."

The man is important because it changes the tone and makes a point about me being a scary pervert. Instead he comes across as a loon who thinks 5' 11" dudes in suits are scary.

So, I wrote a letter back, which Metro published as:

"Shane, I am 30+, 6ft, Brown hair, GSOH. Not sure if your letter was a threat or a promise, but if I start taking the train at 10.30, could you move your bag for me? It could lead to fun, friendship or possibly more."

But what I wrote was:

"Shane, I am 30+, 6' 0", Brown hair, Hirsute, GSOH. Not sure if your letter was a threat or a promise, but if I lose my job and start taking the train at 10.30, could you move your bag for me? It could lead to fun, friendship or possibly more..."

So they kept the gay and removed the funny. Which is fine, if a little pointless. Poor Shane will think some dude is trying to pick him up everytime he is asked to move his bag.

Metro 2

So I go another letter published in the Metro. They copy edited it quite heavily, getting rid of some of the more..um..questionable sentiment:

Original:
So, some guy is labelled "rude" for asking someone to move their bag on the train? I whole-heartedly support the bloke in this situation, and would question who was being uncivil. Nothing makes the red mist descend quicker then a seat reserved for a bag: hand, school, gym or other. If all the 'first' seats are gone on the train, the seat with the bag will draw me to it like a homing beacon, and I'll ask you to move it so I can sit down. I know a number of other guys who do the same thing, a good affirmative action making a point about anti-social behaviour. So there you have it, if you don't want my fat ass sitting beside you, keep that seat bag-free.

Metro:
So, some guy is labelled "rude" for asking someone to move their bag on the train? I support the bloke in this situation. Nothing makes the red mist descend quicker then a seat reserved for a bag, hand, school, gym or other. If all the 'first' seats are gone on the train, the seat with the bag will draw me to it like a homing beacon, and I'll ask you to move it so I can sit down. I know other guys who do the same thing. So there, if you don't want my fat ass sitting beside you, keep that seat bag-free.