50 Kids Playing Recorders On The Subway Is A Special Level Of Hell

The MTA is a veritable treasure trove for all things strange and unusual. This video, however, captures something that may as well be straight out of a nightmare/David Lynch movie. Imagine: It's 9 a.m. on a Tuesday. You're on a Manhattan-bound N train. You're surrounded by children — 50 of them. Every single one is holding a recorder. "Isn't that nice?" you think to yourself. "I'm so glad our education system is still teaching music. These kids are really cute." Then, you're hit by a wave of sound as all 50 children begin to play their recorders.

Collectively, these noises are like the soundtrack to a special circle of hell in which things like nails-on-a-chalkboard and air horns are pre-requisites. This continues for 40 minutes. For some reason, you don't think to relocate to another car. Perhaps it's because, just like you should never turn your back on the ocean, you should never face away from pint-sized, recorder-wielding humans. (Or, more likely, you just can't accept that the event unfolding before you is real life.)

After the ride is over, you emerge, changed. You're glad the children are getting a musical education, but you now find yourself wishing for the good-old days of subway break dancers; at least they give you a fair "Showtime, everybody!" warning. (Gawker)