8/29/06

So today I decided to come out of the cubby hole that is known as my bedroom, and extend myself below 72nd street to handle a couple of pieces of business. I was in a curious mood and decided to visit a library that wasn't in my neighborhood. After getting lost in the library next door to MOMA I decided to walk the 20 or so blocks down to my next destination, opting for the lesser traveled 5th avenue as my guided path. As I pass "Little Brazil Way" in my rainy day get-up of trench coat, high-top Chucks, and hoodie over Ipod, I am summoned by a rotund man in a yarmulke. Being quite proud of my 1 year's worth of NYC knowledge, I decide to be a good samaritan and break the gentleman off with some directions.

As I pause Ne-Yo, the man asks me if I need a job to which I reply, "No thank you, I have a job". The man then asks me if I have any friends who are looking for a job, and if I will follow him to his store to view his merchandise. I again tell him "no", but agree to go to his store (I said I was in a curios mood). We turn the corner towards 6th Avenue and end up in the ever so redundant Jewish Jewelry district. I follow him into a brightly lit store, where millions of dollars worth of jewelry sparkle underneath the fluorescent lights. After showing me to his booth, he then says he would like to talk to me and leads me across the street to a small cafe. Once inside the cafe he begins to tell me a story about a friend of his who is a black doctor, and advised him that no good would come to him unless he had "a good time" with a black woman. He then continues to tell me that I am beautiful and "clean", and that he has "never spoken to a black woman before in his life". He wants me to be his "friend" and he will pay me hundreds of dollars to work at his store too. Of course he took the time to inform me that he never picks up women off the street, especially black women, because he is a Jewish man and shouldn't be seen out like that. However, an exception was made for me because I looked "clean", beautiful, and he had seen me around before. He begs me "please" to be with him, while I just press the repeat button on my brain and tell him "I'm happy at my job and in general".

After the spell of disbelief rubs off me, I snatch my hands away from him and tell him "sorry", while placing my hood back on and exiting right. I still don't know what to say about this experience, so instead I write...