This or That

‘Don’t judge,’ says man caught shaving on a train

Bob CollinsBob Collins Sep 18, 2018
20

Here’s a piece of advice for people on mass transit who feel entitled to take a picture or video of a fellow rider: Don’t.

The invasion of privacy has been particularly painful for Anthony Torres, 56, of parts unknown.

This is Anthony.

What’s Anthony’s story?

“My life is all screwed up. That’s the reason I was shaving on the train,” he tells the Associated Press.

He’s homeless and was staying in a shelter. His brother gave him money for a train ticket to his place in New Jersey. He wanted to look presentable.

“I don’t want to say that I’m homeless, let everybody know,” he said. “That’s why I was shaving.”

Anthony Torres said he worked a number of different jobs, including casino security guard and then construction. He moved to wherever the work was, like Florida, where his adult son lives. He said he has spent time living in motels or sleeping in bus depots.

Medical conditions have also been a problem, with Torres saying he had two strokes in the past two years.

But Thomas Torres said that, even growing up, his brother would make short-sighted decisions with money, or not think of the impact of his actions, like shaving in public in a train compartment.

“When he did what he did, that to him was normal,” Thomas Torres said. “He’s not that kind of person that does it because of spite or because he wants the attention.”

His voice got tear-filled as he recounted Anthony Torres initially showed up at his home after the train ride asking for a sleeping bag, saying he was prepared to go spend the night under a bridge.

“For so many years, he’s lived this way and I feel sorry for him. It’s hard to see the life that he’s lived,” Thomas Torres said.

He didn’t know he was being filmed and he’s upset that people made fun of him.

“Maybe people will have more feeling knowing what this kid’s been through,” his brother said.

The person who posted the video has deactivated his social network account.