Some New Yorkers thrive on searching out micro-slights and demanding macro-apologies. It takes a lot of everybody's energy but for those few minutes the person making the demand is someone.
Years ago I was visiting the mini-storage unit I used to have in Queens. A few units down I heard the sound of hunt and peck typing and realized someone was using their storage as a study. Later I heard a woman's voice saying to the guard, "You won't turn me in, will you?"
The guard, whose accident was heavy Caribbean, proceeded to get deeply, deeply offended that she, who knew him well, or at least had seen him many, many, many times, would ever insinuate that he, a man of honor and deep fairness, would ever do such a heinous thing as to "turn in" someone (even though it was supposed to be his job). No really, he just couldn't believe it, he was shocked and rattled to the inner core of his being, that such words could even leave her lips. I mean, how could she say that, no, really, how could she say that?
It went on like that for minutes, and the woman finally said. "OK, honey, I'm sorry, but if you'll excuse me I've got to get some work done." And went back to hunting and pecking.
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Years ago I was visiting the mini-storage unit I used to have in Queens. A few units down I heard the sound of hunt and peck typing and realized someone was using their storage as a study. Later I heard a woman's voice saying to the guard, "You won't turn me in, will you?"
The guard, whose accident was heavy Caribbean, proceeded to get deeply, deeply offended that she, who knew him well, or at least had seen him many, many, many times, would ever insinuate that he, a man of honor and deep fairness, would ever do such a heinous thing as to "turn in" someone (even though it was supposed to be his job). No really, he just couldn't believe it, he was shocked and rattled to the inner core of his being, that such words could even leave her lips. I mean, how could she say that, no, really, how could she say that?
It went on like that for minutes, and the woman finally said. "OK, honey, I'm sorry, but if you'll excuse me I've got to get some work done." And went back to hunting and pecking.
- tom moody 12-19-2005 7:34 pm