Digression
I had a funny little incident happen to me last night that has nothing to do with the little shop that I want to share. I was out late last night with some friends, and didn't get on the train to head home until around 2:00AM. When I got to the express stop closest to my local stop, I got off the train, sat down on one of the large wooden benches to await my beloved R train. I pulled out my book, started to read, and patiently awaited the local.
Out of the blue, a random early 20's young lady sat down really close to me. Usually, if there is no one else on one of the large wooden NYC subway benches, I think its usually pretty good etiquettel to give yourself about a two seat spacing (at minimum) between yourself and another bench occupant. This lady placed herself just one seat away from mine, which caused me to look over at her briefly. As I glanced in her direction, I saw her glance back at me.
"Excuse me," she said. "My name is Vanessa, and I'm a good Christian." As I stared incredulously at her, I noticed that she had a big suitcase with her and I also noticed the armpit hairs peeking out from underneath her arms. As I took her in (visually) I wondered what she could possibly want from me at 2 in the morning. I hoped that all she wanted to know was how to get to her home destination, but I would not be so lucky. "I'm currently looking for a job, but I need a place to stay for a little while - do you think you can help me out??" What in the hell??? Since when can you go up to a random person on the subway, in New York, at 2:00 in the morning, and ask if you can stay with them?? She must have lost her damn mind. Even though I was thinking this, I didn't think it appropriate to actually say this to her. "I'm sorry Miss, but I live with my parents, and I don't think they would have room for someone else to stay with them" I lied. I looked back at my book hoping that she would have taken the hint and leave it well alone. Nope. "Do you think you can ask your parents if it would be ok if I stayed with them?" No dummy, I don't think I can ask my parents if you can stay with us... Leave me alone. "I'm sorry but we don't have that much room, and it's much to late to be calling them." Hoping that this was finally the end of it, I went back to my book again...
"Well, can you help me out with some change?" she continued. This had to be the stupidest, can't take a hint lady on the face of the damn planet. I told her that all I had was ten cents, which she then asked me for. After I gave it to her, she asked me which train she should take to get somewhere. After answering her last question she finally left me alone, yet I could still feel her eyes glancing over to me every few seconds. I don't think anyone could be that dumb. What was really going on there? Was she looking for some ass? Was she just that desperate? Who knows, but in retrospect it was funny as hell...
Out of the blue, a random early 20's young lady sat down really close to me. Usually, if there is no one else on one of the large wooden NYC subway benches, I think its usually pretty good etiquettel to give yourself about a two seat spacing (at minimum) between yourself and another bench occupant. This lady placed herself just one seat away from mine, which caused me to look over at her briefly. As I glanced in her direction, I saw her glance back at me.
"Excuse me," she said. "My name is Vanessa, and I'm a good Christian." As I stared incredulously at her, I noticed that she had a big suitcase with her and I also noticed the armpit hairs peeking out from underneath her arms. As I took her in (visually) I wondered what she could possibly want from me at 2 in the morning. I hoped that all she wanted to know was how to get to her home destination, but I would not be so lucky. "I'm currently looking for a job, but I need a place to stay for a little while - do you think you can help me out??" What in the hell??? Since when can you go up to a random person on the subway, in New York, at 2:00 in the morning, and ask if you can stay with them?? She must have lost her damn mind. Even though I was thinking this, I didn't think it appropriate to actually say this to her. "I'm sorry Miss, but I live with my parents, and I don't think they would have room for someone else to stay with them" I lied. I looked back at my book hoping that she would have taken the hint and leave it well alone. Nope. "Do you think you can ask your parents if it would be ok if I stayed with them?" No dummy, I don't think I can ask my parents if you can stay with us... Leave me alone. "I'm sorry but we don't have that much room, and it's much to late to be calling them." Hoping that this was finally the end of it, I went back to my book again...
"Well, can you help me out with some change?" she continued. This had to be the stupidest, can't take a hint lady on the face of the damn planet. I told her that all I had was ten cents, which she then asked me for. After I gave it to her, she asked me which train she should take to get somewhere. After answering her last question she finally left me alone, yet I could still feel her eyes glancing over to me every few seconds. I don't think anyone could be that dumb. What was really going on there? Was she looking for some ass? Was she just that desperate? Who knows, but in retrospect it was funny as hell...
posted by Stephane King at 4:05 PM
4 Comments:
Kang, you are heartless! She wasn't dumb. She was down on her luck. You didn't have to help her but you should at least pity her. You are going to hell for making fun of the less fortunate, you rich, elite private school snob.
5:30 PM
LOL, well said Quintessential. Stephane clearly lacks compassion and understanding. My question for King is this. How come her armpit hair was one of the first things you noticed (even if it was long enough to be braided)? It was 2am and you were presumably "nice" off the drank. A 20 something female sits down next to you and you look at her pits... what on earth were you drinking?
7:46 AM
Come on, fools. Really. I guess the native New Yorker has to step in and enlighten y'alls. This is the classic bait & switch panhandling routine. You approach someone and ask them for something outlandishly large that they won't be able to give you. Then after wearing them down a bit and earning their pity, you ask for a few dollars. In comparison to the original request, this seems like nothing, so the mark gives in. That suitcase this supposed vagrant was carrying was stuffed full of dollar bills that she'd collected that night. Good thing you only lost 10 cents to this scam.
9:26 AM
I obviously do lack all types of compassion. A blind person would have noticed that armpit hair. She was wearing one of those completely sleeveless dresses, and she kept on moving her arm. She might as well have said, "look at my furry pits." And Kim, I'm not buying the bait and switch - she had a look of absolute fire in her eyes.
10:23 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home