Bringing a distraction, perhaps a smile, to frazzled commuters

New York

WEARING a bow tie of Scrabble pieces that spell "GREAT", a denim shirt, blue jeans and a brimmed hat, Thomas Knox waved to subway commuters one night last week while sitting at a table garnished with a sunflower in a Coca-Cola bottle and the game Connect Four.

Some grinned and walked swiftly past. Others paused long enough to lift camera phones. Some approached with trepidation. "Is it free?" one man asked before sitting down.