Jenny: 1, Hungary: 0.

I think someone made a bet about me on the metro this morning. I had my headphones in, leaning up against the doors of the train car (what? Jenny is fun-sized and can't reach the little hand-holder things overhead), and I should also mention that I had my Hungarian face on, meaning I was staring at the ground aloofly and a little grumpily. Suddenly I noticed three high-school guys, all huddled up in a corner and talking to each other in Hungarian, then, unmistakably, looking up at me every minute or so and snickering. I was puzzled, of course. I naturally went through the mental checklist I have for looking like a relatively sane person: was my hair sticking out? Did I have toilet paper on my shoe? Was there salami on my face? Good God, the mirror, Humphrey, now!

Now, before I go on, I should mention that every Budapestian who rides the third metro line knows that Dózsa György is the stop where the platforms are reversed and the doors open on the opposite side than you expected. I have been burned by this before (possibly every day for the first two weeks), and have learned not to fall out of the train by either using the hand-supports from the ceiling or just paying attention and moving to the other side of the train when it comes to the said stop. SO, The train pulled up to the Dózsa György platform, and I, still puzzling over my appearance, stepped away from the doors and let people pass me by as I scrunched myself up against the other side of the car. Curious, I looked over at the hoodlums and saw one youth giving the other a 500 ft bill, the former looking at me with disappointment as the latter tucked his prize in his wallet with evident satisfaction.

Now, I was piecing the whole thing in my mind during my first period class (I need as much mental space from those students as possible), and it hit me. They were betting on me to fall out. Well, István/Attila/Bence, put THAT in your pipe and smoke it. I managed NOT to embarrass myself in Hungary for a full day. If that doesn't deserve a pastry from Princess, I don't know what does.