On serious looking woman getting off the bus, who did not seem like a Swiftie: THERE WILL BE NO EXPLANATION THERE WILL JUST BE REPUTATION. I had to look it up because though I often find Swift’s music pleasant, I’m just not that interested.

Sign at protest: THE ONLY ICE WE NEED IN PHILLY IS WOODER ICE. See: Philadelphia accent and local delicacy.

Sweatshirt, on young man on bus: FOREIGN HANDS. I looked it up. A band.

On woman my adult kid saw: “#REALESTATE / IT’S A LIFESTYLE”. A bonding acronym/hashtag. My neighbor, since she left her airport job cleaning at night, has been enjoying working for a relative who does real estate, so I will not judge, but it’s not what I call a lifestyle.

On man with black t shirt, in big white capital letters covering his whole front, PRAYER IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE ON YOUR KNEES. I sat staring at that one, faintly disturbed, thinking of all the kinds of other things that happen when you’re on your knees, including throwing up and being executed. Though I suppose many people pray in those situations, I do not find the image inspiring.

Clearly it was my day for missing the point.