(Third times a charm)
Its interesting what you see on the bus sometimes.
It was near midday and the bus was half empty.
About halfway to my destination, the two ladies who had rushed on at the last minute with strollers and who sat near the middle of the bus, rang the bell.
As the bus was lowered and they started to go down the bus aisle to exit at the front, I absentmindedly noticed that in the seat next to where one of the ladies had been sitting was a light scarf.
I got ready to shout something from my perch at the back of the bus when all of a sudden another lady who was sitting across from the vacated seat swiftly got up and sat next to the scarf.
Showing posts with label 8 million stories in the city. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 8 million stories in the city. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Overpass
I was driving over the Progress bridge/overpass when I saw it.
Car pulled over halfway to the side, half in the curb lane with the hazard lights on. That's sort of weird I thought. And then a tall slim black man , elegantly dressed in a suit stumbled out with a cell-phone to his ears and went to the pavement.
Weird, I thought as I got closer.
And then he stumbled to the edge of the overpass ledge just as I was passing and it dawned on me.It couldn't be right?
Car pulled over halfway to the side, half in the curb lane with the hazard lights on. That's sort of weird I thought. And then a tall slim black man , elegantly dressed in a suit stumbled out with a cell-phone to his ears and went to the pavement.
Weird, I thought as I got closer.
And then he stumbled to the edge of the overpass ledge just as I was passing and it dawned on me.It couldn't be right?
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Begging
Times tough....still. I know everyone says the recession is over but I dont know. Maybe this is the new norm, with less people working and more businesses closed. I dont know.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Pain is relative
Story 1
Story 2
Not sure if you guys can get into the full stories cause the Toronto Star's website has somewhat restricted access but I thought these two icestorm related stories were interesting.
A potentially live power line lying mere inches from his car prevented him from getting to the office outside Toronto this past week.
Sniderman said if nothing happens soon, he’ll likely have to pay for a rental car to get to his job in Markham, which would take over an hour and a half by public transit.
Story 2
Holding spent a week in darkness. The days blurred into nights and the nights dropped below zero. Holding cloistered herself in bed, crying between sleeps and trying her best to stave off morbid thoughts.
The 39-year-old is largely immobile due to multiple sclerosis, and the scooter she uses outdoors froze in her shed on Dec. 21, the storm’s first day. (A neighbour helped her push it back in, where it became even more useless as it lost its charge.)
Not sure if you guys can get into the full stories cause the Toronto Star's website has somewhat restricted access but I thought these two icestorm related stories were interesting.
Thursday, June 06, 2013
Conversation pieces
Walking quickly up Yonge Street yesterday, in a rush to make it to the subway before 6. Not really paying any attention to anything other than sidestepping fellow pedestrians when suddenly the following relatively loud conversation from a guy on his cell phone walking just up ahead caught my ear
"Have you talked to *unknown* recently?"
"Have you talked to him?"
"He's moody these days"
"Its his nephew........."
pause.
I walk past ears piqued now wondering if I will catch the rest of the conversation. Wondering who this person is and what's wrong with their nephew to put them in a bad mood. Not that is any a mi business but sometimes random conversations just intrigue me.
Mind you I don't even slow down or break stride or look at the speaker as I pass.
pause
"Yea" he says probably replying to something the person on the other end of the line had said.
"Yea its his nephew, he's 5 years old. He's.........."
pause and rest of conversation drowned out by loud dance music from a passing car.
By then I'm about 10 steps ahead but stopped at the light. He catches up and is turning west
"Yea, his brain" more noise.
"They found out ..........."
and then its too late. He crosses perpendicular to me and the rest of the conversation is drowned out by distance, passing vehicles and two Filipino ladies passing in front, staring back, chatting away furiously in Tagalog probably about the ridiculously sized fake breasts of a woman who had just passed by.
Wait what! Sorry where was I again.............
"Have you talked to *unknown* recently?"
"Have you talked to him?"
"He's moody these days"
"Its his nephew........."
pause.
I walk past ears piqued now wondering if I will catch the rest of the conversation. Wondering who this person is and what's wrong with their nephew to put them in a bad mood. Not that is any a mi business but sometimes random conversations just intrigue me.
Mind you I don't even slow down or break stride or look at the speaker as I pass.
pause
"Yea" he says probably replying to something the person on the other end of the line had said.
"Yea its his nephew, he's 5 years old. He's.........."
pause and rest of conversation drowned out by loud dance music from a passing car.
By then I'm about 10 steps ahead but stopped at the light. He catches up and is turning west
"Yea, his brain" more noise.
"They found out ..........."
and then its too late. He crosses perpendicular to me and the rest of the conversation is drowned out by distance, passing vehicles and two Filipino ladies passing in front, staring back, chatting away furiously in Tagalog probably about the ridiculously sized fake breasts of a woman who had just passed by.
Wait what! Sorry where was I again.............
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Immigrant Rage
So ah gone in the convienence store this morning to get a Lotto ticket for this record $55 million dollar draw tonight.
Three people in the store besides me and de store owner: one old black lady with a walker buying nuff nuff Lotto tickets, anudda lady who aint have nuttin in she hand but in line right ahead a me and anudda fella in his 50s or 60s in a black baseball cap wid a lil man purse in he hand looking around in de store.
So I stan up in line a few minutes, looking at mi phone killing time and the store owner tekin long long to sort out the old lady lotto tickets. Going back and forth to the machine and looking around.
Out a de blue so he ask the fella that looking round the store if he looking fa something in particular.
Well boy like Paul Keens' character Tante Merle wud say "Who tell he to say dat?"
Three people in the store besides me and de store owner: one old black lady with a walker buying nuff nuff Lotto tickets, anudda lady who aint have nuttin in she hand but in line right ahead a me and anudda fella in his 50s or 60s in a black baseball cap wid a lil man purse in he hand looking around in de store.
So I stan up in line a few minutes, looking at mi phone killing time and the store owner tekin long long to sort out the old lady lotto tickets. Going back and forth to the machine and looking around.
Out a de blue so he ask the fella that looking round the store if he looking fa something in particular.
Well boy like Paul Keens' character Tante Merle wud say "Who tell he to say dat?"
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
New Math
One of the issues when you been blogging long long long like me an ya getting older wid each passing day is that ya tend to forget whether you wrote about a particular subject or not. That is why I repeat myself about all the people at TIFF the other day and ah not sure whether I repeating myself or not but we was talking about this yesterday so here goes.
Lemma see how to start this doah?
As time goes on, it sees like is more an more information to absorb an remember. Doan let me tell allya bout the what feels like 50 or so passwords I duz got to remember for computer and bank and work and almost everything under the sun. An I also doan know if wunnah notice it but the pickney these days seem smarter and more brazen than we were in the days of yesteryear. Dem born wid wii and playstation an touchscreen, duz jump out de womb wid an ipad attached to dem hand, an can operate computer better than some a we old fogies who grow up pushing old bicycle tires roun de road, pitching marbles and playing marble cricket (actually mi never play marble cricket but the old people always used to talk bout it so I mention it) and board games.
Ah mean all a dem now accustom to touch screen computer an ting an duz be shocked when things not touch screen but when we was little the only thing wud happen when ya touch the screen is ya might get a lil static shock. Ah lie?
I see my son learning things about science: recycling, types of clouds and water cycle, in first grade, that mi neva learn til musse mi was a big pickney in high school. But that is what it is now, everything fast fast fast cause is more info to absorb in de same or a shorter space a time. Wont be surprised if dem doing college level tings by thee time he reach third grade.
Lemma see how to start this doah?
As time goes on, it sees like is more an more information to absorb an remember. Doan let me tell allya bout the what feels like 50 or so passwords I duz got to remember for computer and bank and work and almost everything under the sun. An I also doan know if wunnah notice it but the pickney these days seem smarter and more brazen than we were in the days of yesteryear. Dem born wid wii and playstation an touchscreen, duz jump out de womb wid an ipad attached to dem hand, an can operate computer better than some a we old fogies who grow up pushing old bicycle tires roun de road, pitching marbles and playing marble cricket (actually mi never play marble cricket but the old people always used to talk bout it so I mention it) and board games.
Ah mean all a dem now accustom to touch screen computer an ting an duz be shocked when things not touch screen but when we was little the only thing wud happen when ya touch the screen is ya might get a lil static shock. Ah lie?
I see my son learning things about science: recycling, types of clouds and water cycle, in first grade, that mi neva learn til musse mi was a big pickney in high school. But that is what it is now, everything fast fast fast cause is more info to absorb in de same or a shorter space a time. Wont be surprised if dem doing college level tings by thee time he reach third grade.
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Streetcar Strangers
Streetcars come in bunches.
No matter how hard they try to space out the scheduling, short turning cars here and there, or giving them their own right of way so that they don't have to combat the intense downtown traffic, there just seems to be something about streetcars more so than buses that leans itself to bunching. I think there is a scientific queuing theory on this but I forget now.
No matter how hard they try to space out the scheduling, short turning cars here and there, or giving them their own right of way so that they don't have to combat the intense downtown traffic, there just seems to be something about streetcars more so than buses that leans itself to bunching. I think there is a scientific queuing theory on this but I forget now.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Mother of the year
So Saturday at the supermarket, I'm pushing our shopping cart merrily down the aisles when I see this lady with two kids. One around 3-4 and the other around possibly 5 or 6. The 3 year old is perched on the front of the trolley, not exactly safe, and falls off leading to a cacophony of noise which is par for the course for a three year old mind you.
Still it is as I watch the mother go to pick up the three year old that I catch a glimpse of something that almost makes me jump. No it cant be! Yep, the 6 year old has a knife in his hand. What da??
Ok now granted on closer inspection it wasn't a real knife but it was still a toy knife about 12 inches long and it looked pretty real from a distance and even from close up cause I wasn't the only one that reacted the way I did as I saw a couple of other cats jump when they first noticed the knife. It looked like it might still be able to do some damage even if it was just plastic painted to look real to be honest.
Now from the looks of the fancy handle it looks like it belongs to some sort of role playing game or something. I have no idea what kids games have realistic knives as part of their ensemble but yea it was a toy.
Anyways I pointed it out to my wife who while agreeing with me that it was wrong said its the same thing as kids playing with toy guns. I'm not sure I agree here. While I'm anti-gun for kids toys, I think playing with a plastic colorful clearly not real, water spewing gun in the backyard is a bit different from walking around with a realistic looking 12 inch blade in a crowded supermarket. Does it have the same effect on the kids? Hmm possibly but my feeling isn't that strong so I can be swayed if you think both are equally wrong.
Still I really had to bite my tongue from not saying anything as this chile palance up and down the people supermarket with this fake weapon and I was just thinking what type of mother allows their child to play with such a thing for one and t make it even worse play with it in such a public place. Wow!
Still it is as I watch the mother go to pick up the three year old that I catch a glimpse of something that almost makes me jump. No it cant be! Yep, the 6 year old has a knife in his hand. What da??
Ok now granted on closer inspection it wasn't a real knife but it was still a toy knife about 12 inches long and it looked pretty real from a distance and even from close up cause I wasn't the only one that reacted the way I did as I saw a couple of other cats jump when they first noticed the knife. It looked like it might still be able to do some damage even if it was just plastic painted to look real to be honest.
Now from the looks of the fancy handle it looks like it belongs to some sort of role playing game or something. I have no idea what kids games have realistic knives as part of their ensemble but yea it was a toy.
Anyways I pointed it out to my wife who while agreeing with me that it was wrong said its the same thing as kids playing with toy guns. I'm not sure I agree here. While I'm anti-gun for kids toys, I think playing with a plastic colorful clearly not real, water spewing gun in the backyard is a bit different from walking around with a realistic looking 12 inch blade in a crowded supermarket. Does it have the same effect on the kids? Hmm possibly but my feeling isn't that strong so I can be swayed if you think both are equally wrong.
Still I really had to bite my tongue from not saying anything as this chile palance up and down the people supermarket with this fake weapon and I was just thinking what type of mother allows their child to play with such a thing for one and t make it even worse play with it in such a public place. Wow!
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Subway mugging
Ok I dont usually write this late at night or with music (Guru (RIP) tribute mix from Dj MK in the background) but I've wanted to speak on this issue for about the last 5 days.
Last weekend a 79 year old man was robbed on the Subway here in Toronto. It wasnt like he was in an empty subway car when it happened though as he cried for help from some 20 or so fellow passengers who did nothing to assist this senior citizen. True the assailants timed their crime with precision so that they were able to run away just as the train pulled into the station but still the fact that no one as much as helped is kind of disturbing on many level.
Its a sad story and one that has prompted much conversation and well warranted criticism of Torontonians.
Still from my perspective I'm like who are all these people who are complaining about the actions of Torontonians and have they ever sat on a TTC subway car? I mean seriously why is the fact that no one tried to help this victim surprising? I take the TTC every day to work and I'm not surprised at all. Disturbed by it yes but definetly not surprised.
Ok, I'll give you that its the wrong type of behavior and in a society such as ours we should demand better and it is shameful but still that it actually happened is not surprising to me. This is Toronto, these are your typical TTC riders.
Look the fact is most people on the TTC dont really want to be there. This is indisputable. Yes you have your greenie, environmental types who think that taking the subway is saving the earth from the excess greenhouse gases of the gas guzzling personal vehicles but they are a minority.
The majority of persons are on the subway because its their most affordable way to travel. They either have no other option for getting to work meaning no car or cant afford to pay the exorbitant costs of downtown parking. They are (and I include myself here) praying for the trip to be over as quickly as possible and trying as much as possible to create a fantasy world around themselves to drown out the low whine of the overly loud teenagers mp3 player or the stench of the folks who threw on perfume but forgot to shower that morning, or to pretend that the lack of personal space as they are squeezed in next to strangers isnt really happening .
They are aware but still not really aware of whats going on around them to the extent that they're going to jump up in a flash and play hero for a stranger cause their whole mindstate is one of avoidance. Avoid staring at the strangers, avoid listening to random conversations, avoid touching anyone by accident, avoid offending anyone or bumping into anyone or eye contact for more than a second or stepping on someone's foot and just avoid any and all interaction that could possibly occur.
Its like if they had the power to generate personal force fields they would but they cant so they instead read the newspaper or sleep or stare off into space or down out their surroundings with music or do other personal task that they can do to forget where they are and let the trip time fly by.
That's the simple truth and thats why no one helped old dude. Folks were probably blissfully unaware of what was happening, caught up in their own worlds until the last minute or were in their avoidance mode and just couldn't get going in time to help him.
So lets not act surprised. Judge all you want, its bad, it should be so but dont be surprised. Its horrible and says something about mankind yes but it is what happens in this society so dont make me laugh with your shock. All your shock tells me is that you're not a regular rider cause if you were you'd see it as pretty much par for the course.
Sad, disturbing, shameful yes, surprising naa not even a little bit.
Last weekend a 79 year old man was robbed on the Subway here in Toronto. It wasnt like he was in an empty subway car when it happened though as he cried for help from some 20 or so fellow passengers who did nothing to assist this senior citizen. True the assailants timed their crime with precision so that they were able to run away just as the train pulled into the station but still the fact that no one as much as helped is kind of disturbing on many level.
Its a sad story and one that has prompted much conversation and well warranted criticism of Torontonians.
Still from my perspective I'm like who are all these people who are complaining about the actions of Torontonians and have they ever sat on a TTC subway car? I mean seriously why is the fact that no one tried to help this victim surprising? I take the TTC every day to work and I'm not surprised at all. Disturbed by it yes but definetly not surprised.
Ok, I'll give you that its the wrong type of behavior and in a society such as ours we should demand better and it is shameful but still that it actually happened is not surprising to me. This is Toronto, these are your typical TTC riders.
Look the fact is most people on the TTC dont really want to be there. This is indisputable. Yes you have your greenie, environmental types who think that taking the subway is saving the earth from the excess greenhouse gases of the gas guzzling personal vehicles but they are a minority.
The majority of persons are on the subway because its their most affordable way to travel. They either have no other option for getting to work meaning no car or cant afford to pay the exorbitant costs of downtown parking. They are (and I include myself here) praying for the trip to be over as quickly as possible and trying as much as possible to create a fantasy world around themselves to drown out the low whine of the overly loud teenagers mp3 player or the stench of the folks who threw on perfume but forgot to shower that morning, or to pretend that the lack of personal space as they are squeezed in next to strangers isnt really happening .
They are aware but still not really aware of whats going on around them to the extent that they're going to jump up in a flash and play hero for a stranger cause their whole mindstate is one of avoidance. Avoid staring at the strangers, avoid listening to random conversations, avoid touching anyone by accident, avoid offending anyone or bumping into anyone or eye contact for more than a second or stepping on someone's foot and just avoid any and all interaction that could possibly occur.
Its like if they had the power to generate personal force fields they would but they cant so they instead read the newspaper or sleep or stare off into space or down out their surroundings with music or do other personal task that they can do to forget where they are and let the trip time fly by.
That's the simple truth and thats why no one helped old dude. Folks were probably blissfully unaware of what was happening, caught up in their own worlds until the last minute or were in their avoidance mode and just couldn't get going in time to help him.
So lets not act surprised. Judge all you want, its bad, it should be so but dont be surprised. Its horrible and says something about mankind yes but it is what happens in this society so dont make me laugh with your shock. All your shock tells me is that you're not a regular rider cause if you were you'd see it as pretty much par for the course.
Sad, disturbing, shameful yes, surprising naa not even a little bit.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Suicide
Anytime you a pedestrian think you can tek on a moto car think again.
Pedestrians gettin lik down in Toronto at an alarming rate since the year start. Something like 10 in the last 8 or 9 days. Lawd avest mercy!
It doesnt seem to be a case where you can say well is solely the pedestrian fault or solely the drivers it just seems to be that perfect confluence where sadly crap happens with the fault being shared equally.
Ya gotta be careful my fellow walkers cause wunnah realize that when a car hit ya it doan feel nuttin right? Still yesterday I thought I was going to be privy to another pedestrian accident and this time it would have been the pedestrian squarely and solely at fault.
I was standing in a packed 8 o'clock bus on the way to Kennedy station yesterday. The bus was so full that the driver was bypassing some of the stops cause he aint had nuh room for more people. A few stops before the station somebody ring the bell but seeing as um mighta been one body getting off and bout 10 people was at the bus stop the driver decide to drive pass the stop and let off the passenger or passengers a bit further down the road. Now who tell he to do dat!
Disgruntled and I can only describe with no exaggeration as pure eediat woman standing at the bus stop sees that the bus driver isnt slowing down to stop and steps boldly, willfully and stupidly off the sidewalk into the road into the path of the oncoming bus. Myself and other passengers could only gasp and utter a wha de while my eyes compelled me to look thinking I'd soon hear a thud cause no way could the driver avoid this lady. However somehow mashing the brakes and swerving and no doubt with the help of God he barely managed to avoid her and stopped soon after.
Thankfully somehow she get way wid trying to stand up to a big however much tonne bus. But ya think the woman would be happy she cheat death? No she get on the bus and start pissparading bout she late fa work and a bus already pass she already! Absolutely incredible!
total Eediat!!
Pedestrians gettin lik down in Toronto at an alarming rate since the year start. Something like 10 in the last 8 or 9 days. Lawd avest mercy!
It doesnt seem to be a case where you can say well is solely the pedestrian fault or solely the drivers it just seems to be that perfect confluence where sadly crap happens with the fault being shared equally.
Ya gotta be careful my fellow walkers cause wunnah realize that when a car hit ya it doan feel nuttin right? Still yesterday I thought I was going to be privy to another pedestrian accident and this time it would have been the pedestrian squarely and solely at fault.
I was standing in a packed 8 o'clock bus on the way to Kennedy station yesterday. The bus was so full that the driver was bypassing some of the stops cause he aint had nuh room for more people. A few stops before the station somebody ring the bell but seeing as um mighta been one body getting off and bout 10 people was at the bus stop the driver decide to drive pass the stop and let off the passenger or passengers a bit further down the road. Now who tell he to do dat!
Disgruntled and I can only describe with no exaggeration as pure eediat woman standing at the bus stop sees that the bus driver isnt slowing down to stop and steps boldly, willfully and stupidly off the sidewalk into the road into the path of the oncoming bus. Myself and other passengers could only gasp and utter a wha de while my eyes compelled me to look thinking I'd soon hear a thud cause no way could the driver avoid this lady. However somehow mashing the brakes and swerving and no doubt with the help of God he barely managed to avoid her and stopped soon after.
Thankfully somehow she get way wid trying to stand up to a big however much tonne bus. But ya think the woman would be happy she cheat death? No she get on the bus and start pissparading bout she late fa work and a bus already pass she already! Absolutely incredible!
total Eediat!!
Monday, November 02, 2009
Grab my attention
So today I'm on the crowded subway. Not sure what happen this morning but at Kennedy it seemed more crowded than usual. No sitting room if you get on after Kennedy.
So anyway I grabbed a seat at Kennedy and I'm plugged in. By plugged in I mean I really ain't paying no attention to anyone and anything around me. Ipod going, not blasting but enough to drown out the extraneous sounds around me and trying to read the free newspaper. I took a look around when I first sat down to see who next to me and make sure nobody trying to roll a blunt again but then that's that. I'm in my own world. Listening to the Wu and trying to do a Sudoku. Hey what do you know, that rhymes!
Anyways somewhere down the line, I deeply into both my Wu and Sudoku and this young lady get in and stand up in front of me. Only saw her face when she get in and ain't pay no more attention to her.
So couple of stations later I look up and realize when she shift her position, hey she's pregnant. It actually wasn't obvious to me partly because I wasn't paying attention and partly because of the angle at which she was standing to my seat. So what do I do? I took out my earphones, looked at her and offered her a seat.
"Do you need a seat"
"No" she responds
"You sure?"
"Well I asked you for a seat earlier and you didn't say anything" She said with a scowl.
"Well I didn't hear you ask anything and I didn't notice you were pregnant" I said as I vacated my seat for her.
What da???
I mean seriously why is she upset with me. If she sees me deep in concentration on my Sudoku and earphones in my ear and clearly not paying any sort of attention to her how she going to whisper a question to me? At least try to grab my attention before she ask me something.
And the copping an attitude wid me. Chupse!
Plus was I the only one sitting that could offer her a seat? I wasn't exactly surrounded by senior citizens. If I ain't hear she ya would think that somebody else would have offered her a seat. How is this my fault? Why she getting attitude with me.
I mean, don't get me wrong at all, I ain't got nuh issues with giving up a seat for someone old or pregnant but if I ain't hear she or see she pushing bread cart so why would I randomly just get up and give way my seat?
Chupse! allya can say what ya wanta say but I feel she trying to mek me look like a bad man that deliberately ain't giving up my seat when I ain't do she nuttin.
So anyway I grabbed a seat at Kennedy and I'm plugged in. By plugged in I mean I really ain't paying no attention to anyone and anything around me. Ipod going, not blasting but enough to drown out the extraneous sounds around me and trying to read the free newspaper. I took a look around when I first sat down to see who next to me and make sure nobody trying to roll a blunt again but then that's that. I'm in my own world. Listening to the Wu and trying to do a Sudoku. Hey what do you know, that rhymes!
Anyways somewhere down the line, I deeply into both my Wu and Sudoku and this young lady get in and stand up in front of me. Only saw her face when she get in and ain't pay no more attention to her.
So couple of stations later I look up and realize when she shift her position, hey she's pregnant. It actually wasn't obvious to me partly because I wasn't paying attention and partly because of the angle at which she was standing to my seat. So what do I do? I took out my earphones, looked at her and offered her a seat.
"Do you need a seat"
"No" she responds
"You sure?"
"Well I asked you for a seat earlier and you didn't say anything" She said with a scowl.
"Well I didn't hear you ask anything and I didn't notice you were pregnant" I said as I vacated my seat for her.
What da???
I mean seriously why is she upset with me. If she sees me deep in concentration on my Sudoku and earphones in my ear and clearly not paying any sort of attention to her how she going to whisper a question to me? At least try to grab my attention before she ask me something.
And the copping an attitude wid me. Chupse!
Plus was I the only one sitting that could offer her a seat? I wasn't exactly surrounded by senior citizens. If I ain't hear she ya would think that somebody else would have offered her a seat. How is this my fault? Why she getting attitude with me.
I mean, don't get me wrong at all, I ain't got nuh issues with giving up a seat for someone old or pregnant but if I ain't hear she or see she pushing bread cart so why would I randomly just get up and give way my seat?
Chupse! allya can say what ya wanta say but I feel she trying to mek me look like a bad man that deliberately ain't giving up my seat when I ain't do she nuttin.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Pass the kutchie
Smoking the indo by the window is tricky
Mad izm - Channel Live
It must be me. I like I duz attract strange people. Wha juss today somebody walk down the hall in front a me an I aint sure whether um is a he, she or caster semanya but anyways.....
In the last month twice have I been on public transit in Toronto and someone next to me pulled out a baggie of weed and started playing with it.
The first time was late last month coming home from the Ex (National Exhibition) one night on the Bathurst streetcar sitting down in the back. Not too many people on the streetcar so dude gets in, proceeds to pull out his little ziplock bag of what could pass for fresh spices and starts to sift through it. I aint got nuh experience in this but from what I'm told he was picking out seeds. I try not to stare, he has his head down in his weed bag, picking out whatever he picking out and I just sit incredulously thinking this is crazy and real brazen too (although to be honest I hear the police duz give people a pass these days with minute amounts of weed although I doan know for sure). Anyways he did his thing, our eyes never met, after 5 minutes of sifting he put the bag back in his pocket and that was that. End of story.
The second time was today. Big skinny baldhead skinhead looking cat in his late teens or early 20s comes and sits next to me at Kennedy station. Now I don't be looking at people too hard on the train but I like to know who next to me just in case anything happen I can identify somebody. Plus there was a curious smell about this guy. Couldn't place it at first cause it wasnt exactly weed but it was weed-like.
Anyway train pulls out and dude goes into full "How to roll a blunt" tutorial mode like Redman. I mean when I see the lil bag of green stuff come out I say to myself not another one. Cheese on bread ya mean twice in one month I gotta be next to these poppits! Dude then proceeds to put his hands into said bag, pull out some green stuff and put it in pieca newspaper. He sifts through it a couple of times then does something or the other with a cigarette pulls out a wrapper puts the weed in it and then rolls, folds and licks. All this took about 6 stations or roughly 12 minutes or so.
Meanwhile train full full cause its rush hour and people looking on. I sitting there thinking this man is a real poppit but is this a crime or is it not a crime and if its a crime what the hell does one do? Mind you I'm like if a man suh igrant to pull out he weed and roll a spliff next to me then I aint igrant enuff ta step to he an say nuttin cause next thing I like dat fella dat get he head chop off in the greyhound bus or something so so lemma juss leff he loan. Now if he light um up there and then that is a different story cause we gine got issues though.
Unbelievable or is that Unbeweedable!
Mad izm - Channel Live
It must be me. I like I duz attract strange people. Wha juss today somebody walk down the hall in front a me an I aint sure whether um is a he, she or caster semanya but anyways.....
In the last month twice have I been on public transit in Toronto and someone next to me pulled out a baggie of weed and started playing with it.
The first time was late last month coming home from the Ex (National Exhibition) one night on the Bathurst streetcar sitting down in the back. Not too many people on the streetcar so dude gets in, proceeds to pull out his little ziplock bag of what could pass for fresh spices and starts to sift through it. I aint got nuh experience in this but from what I'm told he was picking out seeds. I try not to stare, he has his head down in his weed bag, picking out whatever he picking out and I just sit incredulously thinking this is crazy and real brazen too (although to be honest I hear the police duz give people a pass these days with minute amounts of weed although I doan know for sure). Anyways he did his thing, our eyes never met, after 5 minutes of sifting he put the bag back in his pocket and that was that. End of story.
The second time was today. Big skinny baldhead skinhead looking cat in his late teens or early 20s comes and sits next to me at Kennedy station. Now I don't be looking at people too hard on the train but I like to know who next to me just in case anything happen I can identify somebody. Plus there was a curious smell about this guy. Couldn't place it at first cause it wasnt exactly weed but it was weed-like.
Anyway train pulls out and dude goes into full "How to roll a blunt" tutorial mode like Redman. I mean when I see the lil bag of green stuff come out I say to myself not another one. Cheese on bread ya mean twice in one month I gotta be next to these poppits! Dude then proceeds to put his hands into said bag, pull out some green stuff and put it in pieca newspaper. He sifts through it a couple of times then does something or the other with a cigarette pulls out a wrapper puts the weed in it and then rolls, folds and licks. All this took about 6 stations or roughly 12 minutes or so.
Meanwhile train full full cause its rush hour and people looking on. I sitting there thinking this man is a real poppit but is this a crime or is it not a crime and if its a crime what the hell does one do? Mind you I'm like if a man suh igrant to pull out he weed and roll a spliff next to me then I aint igrant enuff ta step to he an say nuttin cause next thing I like dat fella dat get he head chop off in the greyhound bus or something so so lemma juss leff he loan. Now if he light um up there and then that is a different story cause we gine got issues though.
Unbelievable or is that Unbeweedable!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Choices choices
Man I just love people in the fast food service industry. Minimum wage is a hell of a motivator. NOT!
Take for instance today. I order lunch at this fast food place. Service ahead of me was real surly cause a woman ask for some pepper sauce and the way the server throw it on her tray it was like de woman was a beggar rather than a paying customer.
So I make my order and the server woman asks
"what sauce you want with that?"
"What are my choices" I ask.
"ammm, Barbecue, Sweet n sour or Ranch."
"Ok I'll take Sweet n Sour."
Without even breaking eye contact, without even glancing at the sauces, the woman then says.
"We only have Barbecue."
Now if I did throw a big rock at she, allya wud say I cruel but why she give me choices when she know that there were no options? Dat cud mek sense?? stupid stupid people. lawd ave mercy.
Take for instance today. I order lunch at this fast food place. Service ahead of me was real surly cause a woman ask for some pepper sauce and the way the server throw it on her tray it was like de woman was a beggar rather than a paying customer.
So I make my order and the server woman asks
"what sauce you want with that?"
"What are my choices" I ask.
"ammm, Barbecue, Sweet n sour or Ranch."
"Ok I'll take Sweet n Sour."
Without even breaking eye contact, without even glancing at the sauces, the woman then says.
"We only have Barbecue."
Now if I did throw a big rock at she, allya wud say I cruel but why she give me choices when she know that there were no options? Dat cud mek sense?? stupid stupid people. lawd ave mercy.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Call me
I have that face. Had it for a long time too.
What face I'm talking about? That face that everybody mistakes for somebody else. Not sure why but it just happens too regularly that someone mistakes me for someone else. Luckily as yet none of my doppelgangers have committed any major crimes but I keeping in shape in case I have to run quickly from a case of mistaken identity.
Take a few weeks back. First the lady at the doctor ask me if I had been there the previous week, then she ask me if I have a brother that look like me. No and no.
Then there was the bus last week. From the time I get in I notice this fella giving me the once over. I mean the man eyeballing me hard hard hard then. Paid no attention whatsoever but when the man get off the bus he went round to the side I was sitting on and pointed at me then made the universal call me sign with his hands to his head. I of course played right along. You want me to call you? Me? alright then. Thumbs up and a shake. Yea man I gine call ya this evening. Meanwhile I have no clue whatsoever who this cat is. Hopefully he don't see me again and cuss me out.
Oh well I can always just argue I lost his number or maybe I'll just admit I haven't a clue who he is.
What face I'm talking about? That face that everybody mistakes for somebody else. Not sure why but it just happens too regularly that someone mistakes me for someone else. Luckily as yet none of my doppelgangers have committed any major crimes but I keeping in shape in case I have to run quickly from a case of mistaken identity.
Take a few weeks back. First the lady at the doctor ask me if I had been there the previous week, then she ask me if I have a brother that look like me. No and no.
Then there was the bus last week. From the time I get in I notice this fella giving me the once over. I mean the man eyeballing me hard hard hard then. Paid no attention whatsoever but when the man get off the bus he went round to the side I was sitting on and pointed at me then made the universal call me sign with his hands to his head. I of course played right along. You want me to call you? Me? alright then. Thumbs up and a shake. Yea man I gine call ya this evening. Meanwhile I have no clue whatsoever who this cat is. Hopefully he don't see me again and cuss me out.
Oh well I can always just argue I lost his number or maybe I'll just admit I haven't a clue who he is.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sinister
Last week I was thoroughly engrossed in the Stephanie Rengel murder trial. The trial, which was occurring here in Toronto exposed details on a sick and twisted tragedy which really did not need to happen. But then what murder of a 14 year old is necessary?
The shortened version of the story is this for those of you who haven't heard it: M.T a teenager (15 at the time I believe) had a 17 year old boyfriend D.B. (For your info they cant be fully named here in Canada as they were both minors at the time of the crime) M.T was very jealous of a girl who D.B had, been in a prior relationship with, that being Stephanie. She thought that Stephanie wanted to have D.B back and that she was spreading tales about M.T having sex with other boys.
M.T over a period of months cajoled, begged, threatened, blackmailed and bullied her boyfriend D.B into killing Stephanie. Its all documented in tonnes of text messages and I.M messages that they had over this period. D.B resisted for a while but M.T threatened to withhold sex and then to sleep with other boys if D.B did not give into her demands and kill Stephanie.
Apparently he came close in October of 2007 and didn't have the heart but finally with more threats from M.T he finally did the deed, luring Stephanie from her home one winter evening, the evening of New Years day 2008 to be exact, where he finally stabbed her numerous times and left her to bleed to death in the snow. With her last breaths she was able to finger the murderer to a passerby who found her dying in the cold. D.B meanwhile called after his deed was complete and told his girlfriend M.T that it was done. She called Stephanie's phone to check, just to make sure and then D.B went back to M.T's place for a nice sex romp, his reward for fulfilling his mission.
Pretty chilling stuff for a couple of teenagers. You can google it if you want more details.
The trial this week was for the girl M.T, D.B's trial is later in the year, and after three days of deliberation, which was about three days too long in my opinion, the jury came back with a guilty verdict. We await sentencing.
Now I know that child and teen crime isn't the once shocking occurrence that it used to be. 10 year olds have murdered, kids have plotted and succeeded in killing parents etc but this one, maybe because of the wealth of supporting evidence showing how the plot was developed and the amount of begging, convincing and threatening done by M.T to get it carried out seems especially chilling.
Its also rather instructive to see how the family of the murder accused saw her still as a school smart young lady, with little street smarts who would never do something like this. They had no clue as to the vulgar and disturbing messages that their little "angel" was sending online and via text message or as to the plot she had conceived using boyfriend D.B as the de facto murder weapon.
What can you say about it all? Kids these days are being exposed to a lot of stuff from early, I'm not sure we can shield and protect them anymore. Their childhood definitely will not be the same as ours. Still I guess one can only try to give them a good foundation, stay involved in what they are doing, keep on their ass, give them proper context into which to understand the knowledge that they are being bombarded with daily and pray. A whole heap a pray.
Well and if that doesn't work there is always Liks.
Still its mind boggling to me that a girl as young as M.T would conceive of this sick crime and use her body as collateral to get it done. Did she understand that murder was wrong? Did she think well maybe there is another way to solve this issue with Stephanie, did she think about consequences? Did her parents ever think to check her moral compass somewhere along the way? Lots of unanswered questions.
For all the smarts it took to plan this murder etc, she was extremely naive to think that she would get away with it. A case of too much know how but not enough knowledge?
And what about the victim. Yea what about her and her family. Destroyed over something so like this. So senseless.
No idea. Mi nuh know how de yout get so.
The shortened version of the story is this for those of you who haven't heard it: M.T a teenager (15 at the time I believe) had a 17 year old boyfriend D.B. (For your info they cant be fully named here in Canada as they were both minors at the time of the crime) M.T was very jealous of a girl who D.B had, been in a prior relationship with, that being Stephanie. She thought that Stephanie wanted to have D.B back and that she was spreading tales about M.T having sex with other boys.
M.T over a period of months cajoled, begged, threatened, blackmailed and bullied her boyfriend D.B into killing Stephanie. Its all documented in tonnes of text messages and I.M messages that they had over this period. D.B resisted for a while but M.T threatened to withhold sex and then to sleep with other boys if D.B did not give into her demands and kill Stephanie.
Apparently he came close in October of 2007 and didn't have the heart but finally with more threats from M.T he finally did the deed, luring Stephanie from her home one winter evening, the evening of New Years day 2008 to be exact, where he finally stabbed her numerous times and left her to bleed to death in the snow. With her last breaths she was able to finger the murderer to a passerby who found her dying in the cold. D.B meanwhile called after his deed was complete and told his girlfriend M.T that it was done. She called Stephanie's phone to check, just to make sure and then D.B went back to M.T's place for a nice sex romp, his reward for fulfilling his mission.
Pretty chilling stuff for a couple of teenagers. You can google it if you want more details.
The trial this week was for the girl M.T, D.B's trial is later in the year, and after three days of deliberation, which was about three days too long in my opinion, the jury came back with a guilty verdict. We await sentencing.
Now I know that child and teen crime isn't the once shocking occurrence that it used to be. 10 year olds have murdered, kids have plotted and succeeded in killing parents etc but this one, maybe because of the wealth of supporting evidence showing how the plot was developed and the amount of begging, convincing and threatening done by M.T to get it carried out seems especially chilling.
Its also rather instructive to see how the family of the murder accused saw her still as a school smart young lady, with little street smarts who would never do something like this. They had no clue as to the vulgar and disturbing messages that their little "angel" was sending online and via text message or as to the plot she had conceived using boyfriend D.B as the de facto murder weapon.
What can you say about it all? Kids these days are being exposed to a lot of stuff from early, I'm not sure we can shield and protect them anymore. Their childhood definitely will not be the same as ours. Still I guess one can only try to give them a good foundation, stay involved in what they are doing, keep on their ass, give them proper context into which to understand the knowledge that they are being bombarded with daily and pray. A whole heap a pray.
Well and if that doesn't work there is always Liks.
Still its mind boggling to me that a girl as young as M.T would conceive of this sick crime and use her body as collateral to get it done. Did she understand that murder was wrong? Did she think well maybe there is another way to solve this issue with Stephanie, did she think about consequences? Did her parents ever think to check her moral compass somewhere along the way? Lots of unanswered questions.
For all the smarts it took to plan this murder etc, she was extremely naive to think that she would get away with it. A case of too much know how but not enough knowledge?
And what about the victim. Yea what about her and her family. Destroyed over something so like this. So senseless.
No idea. Mi nuh know how de yout get so.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Marketing Schemes
Stop wastin your money on marketing schemes
and pretty packages pushin dreams to the fiends
It did Sunday morning 11:30 a.m. I know man, yes I shulda been in church praying for muh sins but I had to wait fa sumbody to come an do sumting fa muh so I stan home this marnin. Doan worry I will be there singing loud an outta tune next week.
That is when the phone ring loud loud loud. Long distance ring too. I figure it gotta be muh family in de states cause my mudda woulda been at church long time already. I really wasn't thinking no telemarketer ringing to upset my blessed soul on this crisp God given Sunday marning. Chupse!
Pick up the phone excited thinking I going hear somebody I wanta hear when this woman on the other line start ask questions like she is a policewoman inquiring bout if I is Mr or Mrs Jdid. But wait how she cud mean if I is Mrs Jdid? She trying to say I sound womanish or what? Of course I is Mr Jdid. I had to ask if she had call here already an a strange man answer di phone? Cause looka if dat did de case let me know an I wud have to find out who strange man duz answer my phone pun a day when I aint home an say he aint Mr Jdid.
No she say, first time calling. She doing market research and she got couple lil question for me. Well she juss tryin to mek a few coppers so I figure lemma see wha she saying. Alright den ask away! Hear di woman wid de firss question.
If you were making an addition to your home, what would it be? Cheese on bread den! Wha dat is a difficult question. De pitch like u did hostile this marnin. That wun had me down the pitch clear out de batting crease and wicketkeeper got me bails flying that is I did well well stumped. I couldn't even tell she hol on so I cud call a lifeline.
So after sweating for a few minutes I think a lil and by elimination I tell she if I had de chance I wud add on another bedroom or bathroom to de lil shedroof I got. Hear the woman now, but what about a sunroom? Yea man I say sure my son could get the new bedroom but wait how you know I have a son? You is one a dem stalkers or something so? No sunroom. S.U.N she say. Oh I thought you say son room. Looka stop trying to mess up my head ya.
No nuh sunroom. I aint interested thank you.
Ya sure she says cause we going to be in the neighborhood tomorrow and we giving free estimates on sunrooms. I say no I dont want no sunroom nor daughter room thank you.
But wait I thought to myself how you gine be pushing sunrooms and when you ask me what I wud add on and I tell you a additional bathroom or bedroom you sounding surprised. Wha if you did wanta lead me to say sunroom why you gi me a open ended question like dat an had me sweating so trying to come up wid the answer. Chupse!
Looka wha kinda segue that is into sunrooms doah at all girl? Wha kinda telemarketer you is doah? Try an sort out a better script fa the next body you call ya know. And no I still don't want nuh sunroom unless I cud store lil sunlight in the sunroom fa the winter and I know that that technology aint invent yet or I woulda bring back some bajan sunshine at Christmas fa all like now when the place dark up so.
De woman continue on talking bout free estimate and wid she presumptuous self asking me what time is convenient fa me tomarra. Looka woman you missing the point. I Mr Jdid am telling you that I don't want no sunroom. But the estimate free she say, and in these harsh economic times we aint expect you to buy right now we just showing you the options. Wha dat sound like a waste a both we times then cause if I aint interested in buying and you aint expect me to buy wha is the point a we meeting bout free estimate. You wanta come in my house to see whapart I duz keep my two or three lil valuables in de whatnot so you could plan to come back when me and Mrs Jdid or the fella that say he aint Mr Jdid aint home nuh. Well ya lie cause I aint plan on lettin you in my place fa no free guesstimate fa you to pee eye my few lil things to come back an tief.
Then the woman look at me through the phone and ask me if I know what involved in a free estimate?
Eh eh!
But wait! Wait! Which pieca poppit she think I is that I doan know bout free estimates and who mek she so damn uppity to ask me something so.
Girl which devil send you suh bright n early sunday marnin to upset my pleasant countenance this lord given Sunday marin doah! the old people neva lie boy trouble doan set up like rain! Chupse! Looka ya unmannerly so n so I did trying my best to be polite cause I know ya trying ta mek a lil dollar like everybody else but just cause I doan want you pun my property and I aint building nuh sunroom, star room or moon room aint give you no right to question my common sense asking me if I know wha free estimate is.
Wha you like you tryin ta hurt my feelings ya!
But who um is train you to use the phone cause you getting outta hand girl and ya best to watch yaself cause you like you wud mek me gotta buse you this blessed sabbath and then gotta guh church tonight to repent!
Clearly exasperated by our exchange the telemarketer woman let out a big big sigh of annoyance and hang up the phone on me. Click!
and pretty packages pushin dreams to the fiends
It did Sunday morning 11:30 a.m. I know man, yes I shulda been in church praying for muh sins but I had to wait fa sumbody to come an do sumting fa muh so I stan home this marnin. Doan worry I will be there singing loud an outta tune next week.
That is when the phone ring loud loud loud. Long distance ring too. I figure it gotta be muh family in de states cause my mudda woulda been at church long time already. I really wasn't thinking no telemarketer ringing to upset my blessed soul on this crisp God given Sunday marning. Chupse!
Pick up the phone excited thinking I going hear somebody I wanta hear when this woman on the other line start ask questions like she is a policewoman inquiring bout if I is Mr or Mrs Jdid. But wait how she cud mean if I is Mrs Jdid? She trying to say I sound womanish or what? Of course I is Mr Jdid. I had to ask if she had call here already an a strange man answer di phone? Cause looka if dat did de case let me know an I wud have to find out who strange man duz answer my phone pun a day when I aint home an say he aint Mr Jdid.
No she say, first time calling. She doing market research and she got couple lil question for me. Well she juss tryin to mek a few coppers so I figure lemma see wha she saying. Alright den ask away! Hear di woman wid de firss question.
If you were making an addition to your home, what would it be? Cheese on bread den! Wha dat is a difficult question. De pitch like u did hostile this marnin. That wun had me down the pitch clear out de batting crease and wicketkeeper got me bails flying that is I did well well stumped. I couldn't even tell she hol on so I cud call a lifeline.
So after sweating for a few minutes I think a lil and by elimination I tell she if I had de chance I wud add on another bedroom or bathroom to de lil shedroof I got. Hear the woman now, but what about a sunroom? Yea man I say sure my son could get the new bedroom but wait how you know I have a son? You is one a dem stalkers or something so? No sunroom. S.U.N she say. Oh I thought you say son room. Looka stop trying to mess up my head ya.
No nuh sunroom. I aint interested thank you.
Ya sure she says cause we going to be in the neighborhood tomorrow and we giving free estimates on sunrooms. I say no I dont want no sunroom nor daughter room thank you.
But wait I thought to myself how you gine be pushing sunrooms and when you ask me what I wud add on and I tell you a additional bathroom or bedroom you sounding surprised. Wha if you did wanta lead me to say sunroom why you gi me a open ended question like dat an had me sweating so trying to come up wid the answer. Chupse!
Looka wha kinda segue that is into sunrooms doah at all girl? Wha kinda telemarketer you is doah? Try an sort out a better script fa the next body you call ya know. And no I still don't want nuh sunroom unless I cud store lil sunlight in the sunroom fa the winter and I know that that technology aint invent yet or I woulda bring back some bajan sunshine at Christmas fa all like now when the place dark up so.
De woman continue on talking bout free estimate and wid she presumptuous self asking me what time is convenient fa me tomarra. Looka woman you missing the point. I Mr Jdid am telling you that I don't want no sunroom. But the estimate free she say, and in these harsh economic times we aint expect you to buy right now we just showing you the options. Wha dat sound like a waste a both we times then cause if I aint interested in buying and you aint expect me to buy wha is the point a we meeting bout free estimate. You wanta come in my house to see whapart I duz keep my two or three lil valuables in de whatnot so you could plan to come back when me and Mrs Jdid or the fella that say he aint Mr Jdid aint home nuh. Well ya lie cause I aint plan on lettin you in my place fa no free guesstimate fa you to pee eye my few lil things to come back an tief.
Then the woman look at me through the phone and ask me if I know what involved in a free estimate?
Eh eh!
But wait! Wait! Which pieca poppit she think I is that I doan know bout free estimates and who mek she so damn uppity to ask me something so.
Girl which devil send you suh bright n early sunday marnin to upset my pleasant countenance this lord given Sunday marin doah! the old people neva lie boy trouble doan set up like rain! Chupse! Looka ya unmannerly so n so I did trying my best to be polite cause I know ya trying ta mek a lil dollar like everybody else but just cause I doan want you pun my property and I aint building nuh sunroom, star room or moon room aint give you no right to question my common sense asking me if I know wha free estimate is.
Wha you like you tryin ta hurt my feelings ya!
But who um is train you to use the phone cause you getting outta hand girl and ya best to watch yaself cause you like you wud mek me gotta buse you this blessed sabbath and then gotta guh church tonight to repent!
Clearly exasperated by our exchange the telemarketer woman let out a big big sigh of annoyance and hang up the phone on me. Click!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Limits
I may have mentioned it before but they want to have cell phone connectivity in the subway tunnels here. More minutes used, more money for big corporation coffers as maybe the last bastion resisting constant cell phone usage is destroyed. Oh well progress right and there is some benefit to having this option especially during delays! And who knows it may just turn out to be more extra background noise in the tunnels.
Still while on the bus ride home a few days ago as I inadvertently and rather unconsciously listened to a young lady's cell conversation as she seriously traced her baby fadda for not buying pampers I couldn't help but wonder about what other inappropriate conversations I'd be made privy to with this new cell phone plan.
I keep wondering about the limits between private and public these days where facebook status tells you that the Prince's girlfriend dumped him, questionable photos are a mainstay in online profiles and wholly inappropriate conversations occur in public places with people (of all ages) seemingly oblivious to the fact that they are sharing their life story and letting us know more about them than we should or really need to know.
Is it because this society allows us to believe that you are invisible, no one knows your name or that no one every really sees you? Or is it just that the line between public and private has blurred in this age of too much information? What does it all mean?
Is there a real benefit to knowing more? Is privacy dead? Is privacy no longer desirable?
I don't man, i don't know man, I don't know man, I don't know man, I don't know.
Still while on the bus ride home a few days ago as I inadvertently and rather unconsciously listened to a young lady's cell conversation as she seriously traced her baby fadda for not buying pampers I couldn't help but wonder about what other inappropriate conversations I'd be made privy to with this new cell phone plan.
I keep wondering about the limits between private and public these days where facebook status tells you that the Prince's girlfriend dumped him, questionable photos are a mainstay in online profiles and wholly inappropriate conversations occur in public places with people (of all ages) seemingly oblivious to the fact that they are sharing their life story and letting us know more about them than we should or really need to know.
Is it because this society allows us to believe that you are invisible, no one knows your name or that no one every really sees you? Or is it just that the line between public and private has blurred in this age of too much information? What does it all mean?
Is there a real benefit to knowing more? Is privacy dead? Is privacy no longer desirable?
I don't man, i don't know man, I don't know man, I don't know man, I don't know.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
When ya gotta go
Ya gotta go!
So we're driving up highway 400 Saturday afternoon and I see a dark colored car pulled over to the side of the road. I'm thinking poor fella must be some sort of car problem when I see the driver off to the side in what at first glance looks like what can only be described as the peeing stance.
No! I'm imaging things I think or in the favorite words of my favorite 2 year old. No way!
But then as we pass I take a glance back and see dude and a steam cascading in the air from his open zipper. He's not in any bushes, he's just next to his car but highly visible (maybe not to drivers but definitely to passengers) from the highway peeing up a storm.
Definitely not something you expect to see or want to see on the side of a major highway, in a major city, in a first world country but hey sometimes you just absolutely positively got to go right?
What a ting!
So we're driving up highway 400 Saturday afternoon and I see a dark colored car pulled over to the side of the road. I'm thinking poor fella must be some sort of car problem when I see the driver off to the side in what at first glance looks like what can only be described as the peeing stance.No! I'm imaging things I think or in the favorite words of my favorite 2 year old. No way!
But then as we pass I take a glance back and see dude and a steam cascading in the air from his open zipper. He's not in any bushes, he's just next to his car but highly visible (maybe not to drivers but definitely to passengers) from the highway peeing up a storm.
Definitely not something you expect to see or want to see on the side of a major highway, in a major city, in a first world country but hey sometimes you just absolutely positively got to go right?
What a ting!
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
When you least expect
Before I start I found this today and thought I had to share. Classic Satire! I love those guys.
Anyways I had a whole post planned on a different topic to what I'm going to speak on now but sometimes blog posts just fall in ya lap.
I'm on the bus coming home this evening when we stop to let off a passenger at a stop and then I noticed that the bus isnt moving at all. Look outside and some sort of disturbance, disruption thing coming down the road. Now I had noticed the 6 or so youth but just assumed they were playing.
Alas no, looked like a big fight about to break out.
So Bus driver stops the bus to report disturbance. Interesting I thought, disturbance on the street not on the bus, well sidewalk if you want to be more precise so what did he stop the bus for? Maybe its protocol, maybe he was just being a conscientious citizen. I don't know.
Anyway I couldn't hear what was going on so although I could see the actual incident I really don't know what it was about although I can sort of guess it had something to do with ownership of a bicycle.
Then two guys had this one young man, in an Iverson jersey, (henceforth called AI jersey fella) restrained and the bicycle was on the ground where they stopped.
Now by the way, I thought about not mentioning the Iverson jersey just cause it's like hip hop. If I mention that somebody was listening to hip hop when something happen suddenly hip hop going to be blamed so I figure somebody going blame AI for this or the guy will not be as sympathetic or going to get labeled some sort of thug because of the AI jersey but oh well I cant leave out details just so.
Anyway some older folk came down the street including one woman who looked like she should have stayed inside considering the top she was wearing. They pulled AI jersey fella away and then there were two camp on the sidewalk gestering vociferously (but not vociferously enough that I could hear them in the bus).
Now this incident went on for a good 10 minutes all of which we were park off by the bus stop. The interesting thing to me was the reaction of one cat in AI jersey fella's crew. Now there were three young guys in that camp and the two older folk trying to calm down things or at least it seemed that way from my viewpoint.
Now AI jersey fella was at the heart of the incident and he was talking to the older folk while one of the other guys looked like he was ready to rush in the other crowd and share some liks. Then there was another smaller chap with them who ran back inside a house. Now he to me was the person of interest.
Now I dont know about you but anytime something happening so and I see somebody run back to a house I get a lil worried. I could just imagine the conversation outside from the gesturing.
"Oh yea alright then, if you is a man wait dey til I come back"
Now any bajan will tell you that the phrase wait dey til I come back really means you better start running now cause this other person is going do something stupid. They going to come back with rocks or knives or guns or their big brother or father or mother with rocks and guns and knives and then trouble going really start.
So I in the bus imagining these words being exchanged and all sorts of scenarios and wondering to myself why this foolish bus driver don't start the bus and report the incident from someplace safer like perhaps three bus stops up the road. I mean doesnt he have an obligation to his passengers first? Suppose the fella that run back inside come outside letting off shots like he mad and something happen to one a we on the bus?
As it stands if it was me we wouldnt have stopped at all. Sorry but as it stood looked like a fair battle to me, sides were pretty even and I've seen enough crap to know that you dont really want to get into any sort of crew battles. Next thing ya know somebody decide to lik me cross my head or worse so no not I in this one.
But it was interesting because it caused me to ask a couple of questions. What is the bus drivers obligation to report the incident and what is his obligation to the people under his care.
I still waiting on answers on both. What y'all think?
Anyways I had a whole post planned on a different topic to what I'm going to speak on now but sometimes blog posts just fall in ya lap.
I'm on the bus coming home this evening when we stop to let off a passenger at a stop and then I noticed that the bus isnt moving at all. Look outside and some sort of disturbance, disruption thing coming down the road. Now I had noticed the 6 or so youth but just assumed they were playing.
Alas no, looked like a big fight about to break out.
So Bus driver stops the bus to report disturbance. Interesting I thought, disturbance on the street not on the bus, well sidewalk if you want to be more precise so what did he stop the bus for? Maybe its protocol, maybe he was just being a conscientious citizen. I don't know.
Anyway I couldn't hear what was going on so although I could see the actual incident I really don't know what it was about although I can sort of guess it had something to do with ownership of a bicycle.
Then two guys had this one young man, in an Iverson jersey, (henceforth called AI jersey fella) restrained and the bicycle was on the ground where they stopped.
Now by the way, I thought about not mentioning the Iverson jersey just cause it's like hip hop. If I mention that somebody was listening to hip hop when something happen suddenly hip hop going to be blamed so I figure somebody going blame AI for this or the guy will not be as sympathetic or going to get labeled some sort of thug because of the AI jersey but oh well I cant leave out details just so.
Anyway some older folk came down the street including one woman who looked like she should have stayed inside considering the top she was wearing. They pulled AI jersey fella away and then there were two camp on the sidewalk gestering vociferously (but not vociferously enough that I could hear them in the bus).
Now this incident went on for a good 10 minutes all of which we were park off by the bus stop. The interesting thing to me was the reaction of one cat in AI jersey fella's crew. Now there were three young guys in that camp and the two older folk trying to calm down things or at least it seemed that way from my viewpoint.
Now AI jersey fella was at the heart of the incident and he was talking to the older folk while one of the other guys looked like he was ready to rush in the other crowd and share some liks. Then there was another smaller chap with them who ran back inside a house. Now he to me was the person of interest.
Now I dont know about you but anytime something happening so and I see somebody run back to a house I get a lil worried. I could just imagine the conversation outside from the gesturing.
"Oh yea alright then, if you is a man wait dey til I come back"
Now any bajan will tell you that the phrase wait dey til I come back really means you better start running now cause this other person is going do something stupid. They going to come back with rocks or knives or guns or their big brother or father or mother with rocks and guns and knives and then trouble going really start.
So I in the bus imagining these words being exchanged and all sorts of scenarios and wondering to myself why this foolish bus driver don't start the bus and report the incident from someplace safer like perhaps three bus stops up the road. I mean doesnt he have an obligation to his passengers first? Suppose the fella that run back inside come outside letting off shots like he mad and something happen to one a we on the bus?
As it stands if it was me we wouldnt have stopped at all. Sorry but as it stood looked like a fair battle to me, sides were pretty even and I've seen enough crap to know that you dont really want to get into any sort of crew battles. Next thing ya know somebody decide to lik me cross my head or worse so no not I in this one.
But it was interesting because it caused me to ask a couple of questions. What is the bus drivers obligation to report the incident and what is his obligation to the people under his care.
I still waiting on answers on both. What y'all think?
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