I've been working out of the Gtown library lately.
A friend directed me to a nice place to pray at the bottom of a stairwell.

I always wonder about the people I hear going up and down the stairs behind me as I'm praying--I usually close my eyes when I pray in public to shut out distractions. Most of the time people just keep going and ignore me. Sometimes people quicken their step. Once in awhile someone goes, "Hey, are you ok?" mainly because the raka' position bears an unfortunate similarity to doubling over in pain. Usually they figure it out once I go into sujud and say "Allahu Akbar" louder just for them.

Every one in awhile though, and it happens more than you would think, I hear someone stop on the landing just above me and pause for a moment indecisively before they head back up one flight and take the elevator down to the basement floor instead.
Part of me thinks maybe I gave them a scare, and I feel bad for inconveniencing them, although anyone who prays in a stairwell isn't going to particularly be bothered by passers-by. But in another sense, I feel really grateful to receive a little bit of unnecessary and unasked for respect for my prayer. It's just a nice little thing to have in the back of your mind the rest of the day.