My last entry reminds me of an experience I had with a panhandler.
I'm sure this man has a name, but everyone just calls him the Spare Change Guy because he stands on the corner and recites, "Do you got any spare change," slurring all the words together while hanging onto the vowels so it sounds like doooooyaaaaaagoooootaaaaaanyyyyyyspaaaarechaaaaaaange. Hence the name Spare Change Guy.
One day as I was walking into work from the subway I noticed that the people coming towards me kept glancing over their shoulders. Curious to know what they were looking at, I scanned my path and noticed a woman about 50 feet ahead of me. She was dressed is a nice blouse. Her hair was well styled, and she walked confidently in her high heel shoes. She was also wearing nylons and underwear. Yep, I said underwear, I know this because she lacked any sign of a skirt or trousers.
As she passed by the Spare Change Guy, he ran up to her shouting,
"Heeeeeylaaaadyyyyylaaaadyyyyy. Whaaaaathaaaaappeeeenedtoooooyoooooourpaaaaants?"
The poor woman was mortified. She was indeed wearing a skirt, but it had somehow become completely pushed up so there was absolutely no sign of it as she walked down the street. That day the Spare Change Guy deserved mad props for simply pointing out what no one else would. All the other pedestrians figured the woman was crazy and wouldn't say anything. It is was at that moment I realized that it is true, a person could indeed walk down the streets of Boston naked and no one would stop him/her.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
What do you think about.........
I noticed something today that really made me wonder.
Everyday on my way to work I pass by at least a half dozen panhandlers. Most of the city dwellers pass by without acknowledging the beggars requests, but there is one noticeable exception. If the beggar asks for a cigarette, the person they ask always stops and gives them a cancer stick and a light.
Obviously the panhandlers only ask smokers, but it's fascinating to me that they are never turned down. I've seen men in pricey business suits, who hadn't even glanced at the beggar previously, stop in their tracks to fish a cigarette out of their jacket. Women who were leery of the approaching man, although still apprehensive, retrieve for him a cigarette and a lighter from their purses.
I started wondering why this only applies to cigarettes. Like I said people who don't normally comply with the beggar's other requests stop mid-stride to provide the beggar with a cigarette. Imagine if you were walking down the street and you had a Burger King value meal in hand and a panhandler asked you for a few fries, would you stop to comply? If you had a pack of sodas and a beggar asked you for one, would you stop? If you are walking along with a backpack and a panhandler asked for a pen or a piece of paper, what would you do?
I'd imagine most of us would continue to walk on, even smokers, so why do you suppose the request for cigarettes are different?
Just another of my commuter induced ponderings.
Ciao
Everyday on my way to work I pass by at least a half dozen panhandlers. Most of the city dwellers pass by without acknowledging the beggars requests, but there is one noticeable exception. If the beggar asks for a cigarette, the person they ask always stops and gives them a cancer stick and a light.
Obviously the panhandlers only ask smokers, but it's fascinating to me that they are never turned down. I've seen men in pricey business suits, who hadn't even glanced at the beggar previously, stop in their tracks to fish a cigarette out of their jacket. Women who were leery of the approaching man, although still apprehensive, retrieve for him a cigarette and a lighter from their purses.
I started wondering why this only applies to cigarettes. Like I said people who don't normally comply with the beggar's other requests stop mid-stride to provide the beggar with a cigarette. Imagine if you were walking down the street and you had a Burger King value meal in hand and a panhandler asked you for a few fries, would you stop to comply? If you had a pack of sodas and a beggar asked you for one, would you stop? If you are walking along with a backpack and a panhandler asked for a pen or a piece of paper, what would you do?
I'd imagine most of us would continue to walk on, even smokers, so why do you suppose the request for cigarettes are different?
Just another of my commuter induced ponderings.
Ciao
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
I Think I'll Walk
I just got this from a friend, and it's really hilarious.
Google maps will give you detailed instructions on how to drive from Boston, MA to Paris France. Check it out.
Follow these steps [in order of course]
1. go to www.google.com
2. click on maps
3. click on get directions
4. go from "Boston, MA" to "paris, france"
5. scroll down in the directions to number 9
and if you'd rather click on a link, here you go:
Google maps will give you detailed instructions on how to drive from Boston, MA to Paris France. Check it out.
Follow these steps [in order of course]
1. go to www.google.com
2. click on maps
3. click on get directions
4. go from "Boston, MA" to "paris, france"
5. scroll down in the directions to number 9
and if you'd rather click on a link, here you go:
Monday, April 9, 2007
CAUTION: Brain-less Babble Ahead
I’ve decided that my cranial cavity is inhabited by a tumor which is the approximate size and weight of a brain. In other words, I think I have rocks for brains.
Suffice it to say I hate Monday mornings, and since I’m turning this into a bit of a rant I’m going to tell you about all the things I hate. Like turtlenecks, I hate the suffocating fuzzy tightness around my neck, and I especially hate the fact that the day after Easter it’s so cold outside that I have to wear a turtleneck.
I hate that it is 10 AM, and I’ve already had my daily allotment of Diet Coke. I hate big slimy, little squiggly, cold and slimy fish. I hate grapefruit and fruit salads with grapes. I get extremely annoyed when the up-escalators aren’t working at the Porter Square T stop, and…………and……….and, huh, I think that’s it. I can’t think of anything else that I hate. I don’t like country music, but I don’t hate it, so I guess it doesn’t really count. Well, that’s a much shorter list than I anticipated.
Anyway, back to business. I don’t suppose anyone has seen a yellow brick road around, or heard of a place called Oz? ‘Cause I need to see a wizard about a brain.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Sound of Silence, please!!
I am sitting in my dining room listening to my roommates in the other room sing "I am 16 going on 17.........." along with the Sound of Music. They tried to induct me into their ritualistic gleeful chants. Fortunately I naturally detest the movie, and could therefore resist their attempts at assimilation. However, I must endure listening to the rest of movie since I can't abide spending the evening in my icebox bedroom while writing my blog.....ur....... I mean doing my homework.
Anywho, I thought you might all be interested in a little website that I found recently. Have you ever known someone who could use a little encouragement, a pep talk, or perhaps a congratulations, but you just didn't know how to do it right? Well, why not have Elmo do it. Yes indeed. For $2.50 Elmo, the fuzzy red monster from Sesame Street, will call your friend or family member to sing a happy birthday song, provide a wake up call, or congratulate them on using the potty. Check it out for yourself at: https://secure.uvoxnetworks.com/elmo/affhome.html?affno=73
Well that's all for now. Back to my homework, and if anyone has some noise-canceling earmuff, please share. ;o)
Anywho, I thought you might all be interested in a little website that I found recently. Have you ever known someone who could use a little encouragement, a pep talk, or perhaps a congratulations, but you just didn't know how to do it right? Well, why not have Elmo do it. Yes indeed. For $2.50 Elmo, the fuzzy red monster from Sesame Street, will call your friend or family member to sing a happy birthday song, provide a wake up call, or congratulate them on using the potty. Check it out for yourself at: https://secure.uvoxnetworks.com/elmo/affhome.html?affno=73
Well that's all for now. Back to my homework, and if anyone has some noise-canceling earmuff, please share. ;o)
Monday, April 2, 2007
My apologies
Oops, I have been reminded that I am one of those creatively cruel friends.
I would like to take this moment to apologize to Tom for setting up a Christmas tree lot in his front yard and the jack-o-lantern patch on his porch.
And if anyone happens to have pictures of these two events, I would love to get a copy to include with this apology. ;o)
I would like to take this moment to apologize to Tom for setting up a Christmas tree lot in his front yard and the jack-o-lantern patch on his porch.
And if anyone happens to have pictures of these two events, I would love to get a copy to include with this apology. ;o)
Sunday, April 1, 2007
April Fools!!
I was on my way to church this morning when I saw an exquisite April Fool's Day prank. Parked two blocks from my house was this most unfortunate vehicle. (If you click on the image you can better admire my lovely layout work.) Let's all count our blessings that we don't all have such creatively cruel friends.
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