Friday 19, 2010.....
Whenever I travel, I meet or encounter very interesting people. Last night was no different.
I boarded the train to head into NYC and overheard the following conversation from the couple across the aisle:
Woman: "Before I marked the envelope return to sender, I opened the card, read it, put the card back in the envelope and taped the envelope shut,"
Man: "Why did you do that?"
Woman: "I needed to know what she wrote in my birthday card before I dismissed her gesture."
Man: "I wish you'd come with me to Dr. X so he'd have a better understanding of why I'm the way I am."
Do you know how hard it was for me NOT to laugh?
After getting off the train I made my way to the taxi stand in front of Grand Central (I wish I had a sense of direction because I would have walked to MSG, but no such luck) and was wedged in between 2 unusual characters.
The older lady in front of me was going on and on about the existence of the cabs. Why weren't they there, did they work evenings, how much longer do you think it would be. Question after question and as I politely answered each one at least 12 different times, I thought if I knew these answers I'd play lotto.
The man behind was blind. He had a cane, seeing eye dog and a woman with him who wasn't blind YET waited till I got on my phone to talk to me. Why? You can hear me talk, does being blind give the right to have no manners? I called my sister 2 times and each time he'd interrupt.
In addition to the interruptions, he felt the need to crowd my personal space. Why? I'm not quite sure. He'd hit me with his cane and take a step closer to me. This happened several times. Maybe I smelled great or he wanted to smell my breath, but moving closer to me was not going to make a cab come quicker.
After abruptly ending each conversation with my sister, I put my full attention on him and his useless seeing eyed companion (seriously, if I were his companion, I would have pulled him back to give a person some breathing room) and discovered he was a very nice man visiting from D.C..
Finally, after 30 minutes in the taxi line, I got into my cab. This is where I had the most interesting conversation. Did you know in NYC, all electronic devices are banned? This includes a GPS. Hello? I would like my cabbie to know where he's going.
He was a nice man and quite animated. I think I said about 10 words and the rest of the time was listening to this man and feeling his pain over a stupid law.
Once out of the cab, I met my sister, grabbed a quick bite and then off to the show.
No interesting conversations overheard on the ride home because I fell asleep on the train.
God, I hope I didn't snore.
29 comments:
Wow, you sure did meet some interesting people. Having a disability shouldn't be an excuse to be totally rude.
THIS is why I love NYC.
this blog post made me smile... especially the part about the guy interrupting your phone conversation... that's just weird:0
Wow! This post brings me back to my days in San Francisco. I think you're just a people magnet like I am. People just want to pop my personal space bubble and linger in my face. Hey, maybe we both just have really great smelling breath! ;)
I'm glad you gave the blind man the time to change your mind about him. And, it was so nice of you to listen to the cab driver's rant about the stupid law. Don't those two words usually go together?
Hope the show was great and I hope you did snore on the ride home.
Hugs!!
I hate rude people. Hate Hate HATE!!!
Congrats on the Out of Tune thing by the way!
Glad you and your sister met up ok and got to the show. I am glad to hear you were able to get past the anxious stage of personal space being invaded to find out the guy from DC was okay after all.
What show did you see..
I love to people watch, but don't like the invasion of space... suppose I won't be moving to the city too soon.
Did you make up names for them? I love trying to guess their names....
Have fun in NYC!!!
wow. quite an adventure. but by taking that cab, you probably missed out on the obama condom guy hanging out in times square. he's hysterical.
I totally would've cracked up about the man and woman on the train.
Sounds like you had a good adventure!
♥Spot
I want to let your readership know that LMB ALWAYS has random strangers just talk to her. ALWAYS. She is just one of those people that people want to talk to. And it's usually about random stuff. Whenever we meet in NYC, my first question to her is "how was your train ride?" since usually the answer does not disappoint.
On the other hand, I enjoy talking to strangers myself but I do think I'm polite about it...it's more like general small talk if you're waiting in line, etc.
You forgot to mention that we had Tater Tots at dinner which was fun, although they weren't brand name TT so not as tasty as they could be.
The biggest annoyance is people who crowd my personal space, especially when they stand directly in back of me too close, almost up my ass, I like to step down hard on there toes with my heels and say "oh, I'm sorry, didn't know you were there!"
Works well.
Secretia
That was an interesting conversation. I would think the sister would be able to see that the envelope was taped.
People, people...all different kinds there are.
Your post made me thinking of Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye", not because you're anything like Holden Caulfield ;). I think it was the honesty with which you captured the many and varied characters moving through the streets of NYC. And finding humor in gritty realism is a true gift ... keep smiling : )
The first conversation needs to be put in a movie.
Were you wearing a t-shirt that said "please come bother me"? No wonder you fell asleep after that exhausting day!
You write so well- I could so see all of this! It happens to me too, but still I think I have a more interesting time when I'm out than the rest of my family who are seldom bothered. In fact last time she was in London my younger sister was on the Tube and sat three stops beyond her destination just so she could hear the end of a story one person was tellg another!! It took her half an hour to get back to where she was staying, but she thought it was worth it!!
And I think your sister should be honoured that you actually met her at all when you were having such a fabulous time just getting to her...!!!!!?
I love trying to figure out who people are around me when I travel!
I LOVE NYC! One of my fave cities.
And I love people watching and the blog material they provide. LOL.
That was one of the things I really loved when I lived in NYC. You could find interesting conversation and entertainment any time of the day or night - just mosey out to the hack stands and wait.
I'm amazed at the conversations people have on public transit. Same thing happens in SF.
Visiting from BPOTW
yes we meet all kinds of interesting people that comes across out paths. very interesting.
really? GPSs are banned in NYC? my husband used to drive all over the place with his... and he NEVER got stopped. but he did get pulled over with his cell phone once...
I am sitting at my desk giggling. I love this post. As in...I am in love with it!
I want to live in NYC. I want to hear crazy people talking. I want to, I want to!
I've been led to your site at least twice today. Nice blog!
Our graphics are kind of the same, in that they are pink and red and cupcakes, but yours looks like a professional actually took time to draw it and didn't just scribble it together in MS Paint one day when she decided to throw her blog on the 'net.
*LOL* I sure hope you didn't.... ;O) So, what kind of bizarro thought up THAT law? Sounds a bit round the bend to me; how do you enforce it for a start and what possible reason could there be? I must know! ;O) xx
I always try to fall asleep while on public transportation. It's just my way of giving back to the world potential blogging material.
I have an award for you!
You're welcome!
;)
Big hugs!!
Green-Eyed Momster
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