Stop
A lot of people want to stop you on the street.
For instance, on my way to work last week, someone asks me if they can ask me a question (a self-answering question as always) but I said 'sorry no'. And as I continue on I get a 'no need to be sorry just don't be prejudice'. And so I actually did a bit of a double take trying to figure out if he just called be prejudice for not stopping and taking to him purely because he was a black man. The next day I'm moseying on down mass ave again and approached by the same man who clearly does not remember me. I without thinking say 'sorry no' and this time he spins around as I pass. "what did you say to me?" Persistence, sir, will get my curiosity though probably not much else. He then informs in great detail about how evil louis farrakhan is and how white people can't all be held accountable for the slave trade especially me since i'm irish and thus 'as close to a black' as a european can get. And a + b = c so why shouldn't I give money to the quaker church?
As I searched through any open convenience store on the way home from davis one dark and not so stormy night, I came out of the last open one and some kid about my age wheels around and asks me about 5 times if he can help me with something before i can even figure out whats going on. 'can i help you with something? you didn't need anything in there? there's nothing i can help you with? ok? ok then! Nothing? ok.' I mostly just move my jaw around in confusion and growing concern for my safety, a growing sensation of dread in my stomach. That is, until I realize that he's pretty sure I was following him and thus the actual potential threat in the situation. On a street you are walking one way or another, so I guess we're all really following each other all the time. Carry more mace. Carry a mace.
A fellow from greenpeace stopped me. I've been avoiding the likes ever since I needed to stop all my monthly contributions to any organizations. Because I'd been broke for a long while. It's a waste of their precious canvassing time but I feel guilty not at least hearing them out, so I listened to him talk about not signing the kyoto agreement and how polar bears are drowning because they can't find ice, all too true yes, and on about fossil fuels. I remark that studies have shown we may run out within 50 years at current/increased usage and he says in all seriousness what a good thing that will be when we run out so people will finally switch to renewable energy. I nearly fell over but calmed my hysterical laughter and merely made some comment about yes how great it would be when half the population dies and we're all starving and he doesn't quite seem to understand.
Not always, but mostly for money. And never for a real conversation.
For instance, on my way to work last week, someone asks me if they can ask me a question (a self-answering question as always) but I said 'sorry no'. And as I continue on I get a 'no need to be sorry just don't be prejudice'. And so I actually did a bit of a double take trying to figure out if he just called be prejudice for not stopping and taking to him purely because he was a black man. The next day I'm moseying on down mass ave again and approached by the same man who clearly does not remember me. I without thinking say 'sorry no' and this time he spins around as I pass. "what did you say to me?" Persistence, sir, will get my curiosity though probably not much else. He then informs in great detail about how evil louis farrakhan is and how white people can't all be held accountable for the slave trade especially me since i'm irish and thus 'as close to a black' as a european can get. And a + b = c so why shouldn't I give money to the quaker church?
As I searched through any open convenience store on the way home from davis one dark and not so stormy night, I came out of the last open one and some kid about my age wheels around and asks me about 5 times if he can help me with something before i can even figure out whats going on. 'can i help you with something? you didn't need anything in there? there's nothing i can help you with? ok? ok then! Nothing? ok.' I mostly just move my jaw around in confusion and growing concern for my safety, a growing sensation of dread in my stomach. That is, until I realize that he's pretty sure I was following him and thus the actual potential threat in the situation. On a street you are walking one way or another, so I guess we're all really following each other all the time. Carry more mace. Carry a mace.
A fellow from greenpeace stopped me. I've been avoiding the likes ever since I needed to stop all my monthly contributions to any organizations. Because I'd been broke for a long while. It's a waste of their precious canvassing time but I feel guilty not at least hearing them out, so I listened to him talk about not signing the kyoto agreement and how polar bears are drowning because they can't find ice, all too true yes, and on about fossil fuels. I remark that studies have shown we may run out within 50 years at current/increased usage and he says in all seriousness what a good thing that will be when we run out so people will finally switch to renewable energy. I nearly fell over but calmed my hysterical laughter and merely made some comment about yes how great it would be when half the population dies and we're all starving and he doesn't quite seem to understand.
Not always, but mostly for money. And never for a real conversation.