Looking And Listening

“When I was little my homies would say ‘you’re gay,’ and I would say ‘no I’m not.’”  - what a young woman dressed like a man was saying as I passed on the way from my home to a nearby coffee shop.

I would not have recognized her as a woman if she would have not said this.  She was standing with two men ( two people dressed like and resembling men ).  In the manner her hair was, her clothing and her stance, I thought I was seeing three men standing there as I walked by with a smile. 

“I was run over.  It was a hit and run.” – a nearby pizza shop owner says, as he jay walks again across the street where he was hit.

I’ve seen him in a cast weeks ago limping around, but didn’t have an opportunity to speak with him until now. 

“It’s like Tia Juana over there.”  - my friend who owns an antique store between the Laundromat and my home.

I was returning from doing the laundry and he asked how I was doing.  I said I was walking back from washing my wife’s and my clothes.  He said somebody had to do it.  I shared my dislike of doing it, but said I do find it entertaining and always a learning experience when I walk over to the Laundromat.  This is when he said what that intersection looked like to him.  I’m not sure if he was referring to the demographic or the condition of the buildings and street, or both. 

“I would not have remembered unless you would have said something.” – the lady at the counter of the coffee shop I arrived at to do some work.

The debit card hadn’t worked yesterday.  Sometimes it does, other times no.