» Stalked

Weirdo on the Brighton Express...
Back in my junior year of high school (3 year of high school here in the States, meaning i was about 16/17) I had the uncomfortable dealing with some random older man who gave me the creeps. I didnt go to a city public school, I went to a private Jesuit prep school in manhattan. This was my choice, and it really is a great school.

Since I didnt live in Manhattan, I took the subway into school everyday (occassionally mom would have something in the city and she'd drop me off), this tale doesnt involve going to school, it involves coming home. Now typically i would done with class by about 2:45 everyday. Great. I would walk 2 blocks to Union Square and grab the Brighton Express from there home. Since it is early afternoon, the trains arent that crowded, and there is plenty of room for everyone to sit with plenty of space around them.

I get on and take a seat and this older guy, 40ish, shaved head, kinda looking like Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket, gets on with me. Well instead of him taking a seat like everyone else, he stands in front of me. Just looking at me. This causes me to think, perhaps he wants to see the map behind me. so I slide down the bench seat and let him have full view of the map. No. He moves in front of me several moments later. I become slightly alarmed.

Seeing that this guy looks like he is about 3 cards short of a full deck, i decide to switch cars (carriages for all you UK types) and grab my bookbag, and shuffle through the door into the next car forward. No prob. I grab a seat and relax. Until 2 minutes later, he follows into the car and sits across from me. Staring. Now as a 16 year old kid, I am starting to freak out. As we are getting closer to my stop, and i am panicking. Well I decide to move again. And again, the creepo with the paedo smile follows. Now I am getting scared. Really scared. We are approaching my stop, and I just cannot get off and have this loon follow me. So I walk into the next car as the train is pulling into my station. I make like i am going to sit down, I duck out the door as they close behind me, just as the nutjob enters the car he sees me outside and stares at me like I was a ham sandwhich and he hadnt eaten in a month.

Not very pleasant and for the next few weeks I was taking several lines home just so I wouldnt have to risk seeing him again.
(Fri 1st Feb 2008, 4:34, More)

» Political Correctness Gone Mad

Another one from NYC
Dad working for the city had some great times.

Well how far did the PC crown go?

In the winter, it does snow in NYC, not a blizzard every time, but enough. Well when he first started, they had an expression -

when the streets had been plowed they were called "black and running" - meaning you can see the black asphalt and that the traffic was runnning as close to normal in such conditions.

Well at some point in the 1980s that term became a problem. So they then had to say clear and running. Or someother claptrap. Well when reporting in on radio - they dont know who is saying what - most people still used the older term, black and running, and the district Super (superintendent) would get on the radio and scream "Who said that?!!, you cant say that, cause we'll get Jessie Jackson or Al Sharpton on us"

To which he would get the reply - in a very lispy voice

Sorry - the streets are queer and running...

Sometimes its better to leave things alone, because there isnt an connotation about it.
(Fri 23rd Nov 2007, 16:29, More)

» Conned

On the train.
If you have ever had the joy of riding the NYC subway, you sometimes come across some of the most interesting individuals. Many spin a tale of woe, trying to get you to let loose some change. Normally I don’t, however sometimes it gets me so mad, I do cause a scene.

One rainy afternoon, heading home, a fine gent comes into the car and says - "I'm homeless, I have no place to go, I need to eat, I have a kid I have to support" same old tired story.

I look at him and for someone who was homeless, his pants were crisp from being pressed, his sneakers were $150 Nikes and he looked remarkably clean and neat.

Now the transit authority, has posters up, saying don’t give handouts no matter how real or believably real a story may or may not be. So I call him on it.

I say “For someone who is homeless and all you are doing well”.

“What?” he says

“well you are wearing brand new sneakers that go for about $150, and your clothes are clean and all. I don’t think you are homeless, I think you are being a bum.”

“No way man, not me”

Well says I, if you were that hard up, why would you spend $150 on a pair of shoes, and not buy something like food.

Now several other people, including a couple who had some money in their hands, also start looking. This guy stammers and says, um, like my friend gave them to me.

Right….

So the guy bolts off the next station

A woman who was sitting next to me says – you know I have never looked at the shoes. So every time someone asks for some change, I usually look at their shoes first and their general appearance.
(Fri 19th Oct 2007, 2:13, More)

» Political Correctness Gone Mad

Dad's co-worker...
My dad, whom I have mentioned once or twice before, worked for the NYC Dept. of Sanitation. He had a co-woker in his "section/ district" named Seymor Miles. Now Mr. Miles is black. Made it known he is black. Mr. Miles was an alcoholic, a drug addict (not pot, but coke, and dad suspects, crack and also heroin). Everytime Mr. Miles didnt do his job, or screwed up (which was weekly), his first response: "i'll sue you, the dept., and the city, cause you're doing it because I'm black".

This routine went on for several years. Until one day, Mr. Miles gets sacked. Why? Not cause he was black. Oh No. But because he was so stupid in filling out the renewal for his drivers license, that he reversed the order of his names. So his DL read Mr. Miles Seymor, not Mr. Seymor Miles. In effect he had a fake ID, and that no matter what color you are - is grounds for dismissal.

So despite some idiots out there playing the race card - it does backfire on occassion when people are stupid.
(Fri 23rd Nov 2007, 6:16, More)

» Council Cunts

More on the NYC council
Was thinking about this. A couple of months ago, the City council votes on some street name changes (most of the time for someone who was noted in a particular area or a cop who lived there who died in the line of duty etc). One of these street names, I forget whom, was to be named for a Radical Black Panther from the 60s who I believe was either a murderer or did time for attempted murder. Well the speaker of the Council, Christine Quinn, blocks it and says no, and so does another councilman. Well the chief aide of another councilman, Charles Barron (councilman, not the aide) said to the effect that the person who blocked the streetnaming should be assasinated. Folks, this is just a little too much, especially since about 4 years ago, a councilman named James Davis WAS assasinated in CITY HALL! In most other places and cities, that threat enough would be reasons for expulsion not to mention some sort of legal action. What happened here? So far nothing. Keep tuned.
(Wed 1st Aug 2007, 12:21, More)