The way I look at it, I have two basic choices right about now. Door number one: I stand here and wait for my train. Door number two: I jump down into the subway’s track, and continue to wait for my train. Equal possibility resides in these choices, because they’re so similar. It’s like driving from point A to point B, and choosing between the scenic route and the efficient one. They both get me to the same place, albeit at different times.
I toss a coin in my mind, only to watch it land, impossibly, on its edge and stop. The coin disappears in a puff of red smoke, and I grumble aloud. The strangers waiting with me take no notice. Hell, what do they notice? They don’t even know what they’re waiting for.
An idea surfaces as the red smoke clears. I reach into the pocket of my khakis and draw out a quarter.
“Heads or tails?” I ask the young woman standing next to me. Her head swings slightly, no doubt in synchronization with the music coming from the large headphones she wears. Her manicured hand pulls the device from her head as she turns to me and asks, “What?”
“Heads or tails?” I repeat, showing her the quarter.
“Uh, tails. Why?” She cocks her head to the side, like a puppy would when you try to speak to it.
“Thank you,” I say, and flip the coin. It clatters to the cement floor and bounces. I step on it with tip of my shoe. The smudged face of Washington greets me as I withdraw, and the bellow of the subway’s horn echoes from the tunnel. Perfect timing.
“So what was that for?” the young woman asks.
“This,” I answer, as I step forward to catch my train.
Holy YETIS! That was great! I like how you explain in the begining the different choices. Showing, intellegently, that there is no real difference between the choices. It really gives the story a nice feeling. Plus I like the coin in his/her head on the edge, that was a nice touch, but I don't get the "cloud of red smoke" thing. It made me re-read the sentences a few times before I got it. You may want to redo that part.
I like the imagry in the third paragraph, a very good and subtle description of the woman. But the sentence with the smudged washington in the second last paragraph is a little confusing, just the part in the middle: "...greets me as I withdraw, and the bellow...". You may want to consider redoing that part a smidge.
Finally I love the ending, it left me wondering if he chose Plan A or B. Wonderful job!