No Food For you!

A few weeks ago I stopped in 125^th street Starbucks on my way to watch Ugly Betty at Cynthea’s place. I wasn't sure where the line began. There was a young girl and guy talking at what may have been the end of the line. They did not have coffee. I tried to make eye contact with her to see if she was in fact apart of the line or just having a conversation, which happens sometimes. It appeared that she was not waiting so I walked up to the counter.

Her loud talking became more violent sounding. when i turn around she was addressing me.

"What the fuck are you looking at?!?"

Whenever I hear that phrase, my mind goes back to Pretty Woman at the hotel when the bell boy was just waiting for his tip. I snapped out of Pretty Woman and replied, "I didn't know if you were in line or not." searching for perhaps a laugh or some indication that she was joking. Who but a crazy person would be that hostel? I couldn't tell so I turned around and ordered. She looked sane, but i guess i have stereotyped crazies to have enlarged pupils, dark circles under their eyes and pee on themselves.

“No! she wanna start something with me! I’m uh kick her ass!” Pointing at me.

At that point she qualified as a crazy. But what could I do? I don’t fight. I definitely do not fight crazy people.

So I ignored her and ordered coffee. She wouldn’t leave me alone. Her friend was doing the good thing of holding her back and explaining that I only wanted to know if she was on line. As enraged people do…she became more violent when there was no way to actually act on it. Starbucks threw her out.

125^th street Starbucks was not empty of course so everyone watched this happen. One girl came up to me and asked if I needed someone to walk me home. That was nice, but I declined.

A few minutes later Crazy Girl came back in to warn me not to leave Starbucks or she would kick my ass. Starbucks threw her out again. Her friend came in and told me that she was drunk and offered to walk me home in case she came back. I notice he was missing one tooth. I wondered how he lost it. I like having teeth. I really hope nothing ever happens to mine.

Nice Girl and her friends decided to walk with me. Crazy girl was outside pacing up and down Lennox ave in a rage. As we passed her Nice Girl walked to the outside between Crazy Girl and me. She really didn’t have to but it was nice. Crazy Girl did nothing.

I was a little nervous to walk back to my apartment after Ugly Betty. There was no Nice Girl and passé to protect me. Once I got to my block I decided to go to Paris Blues. The bar on the corner of my block. The bar that does not had a soda gun but soda bottles, juice cartons and beer in a cooler. There is a pool table and a jukebox that only played old R&B and Soul. Awesome.

It was about 2am. I didn’t know it at first but I walked in on a very late birthday party. I looked out of place. I ordered a beer and broke a dollar for the pool table. Gladys Night was playing on the jukebox. Gladys Night played all night. The bartender’s daughter felt bad that I was playing alone so she asked to play too. I was used to playing alone after my time in Malaysia, but happy to play someone.

Under the pool table there were plywood boards leaning against the sides hiding coolers and other junk stored under the table. The problem was that they fell when your foot hit them. Finally we kicked down the boards and walked over them. Her mom gave me a free beer and I helped sing happy birthday to a lady I didn’t know. Too bad no one else I know wants to hang out at a dive.

Perhaps I could become a regular. I would have to go back for that to happen. The maybe I could have more friends in my neighborhood.