Friday on my way home, I went down to State to hop on the Orange line to North Station. I noticed these two older women with luggage that looked lost. They found a map of the T and were chatting back and forth about which way they should go and how they weren’t sure. I know how if feels to be lost in an unfamiliar subway so as I walked by I said “Where do you ladies need to go?” they stared at me blankly. I knew it wasn’t a language barrier because I just over heard them speak English! “I can try to point you in the right direction if you’d like.” I say thinking that if I rephrase it, maybe they will comprehend that I’m just trying to be nice so they don’t have to be lost. The two of them just stare at me. However, this time with evil eyes. What? Am I supposed to be afraid? You have evil eyes… I have pepper spray. Just sayin’.
I start to walk away and one goes to the other “Looking at the map, we should be able to get to North Station by going this way.” Since I was going to North Station myself, I figured they’d be right behind me. I turned around to see where they were heading. NOPE! They trotted off toward the wrong platform and ya know what? If I try to help you twice and I full well know you’re heading in the wrong direction after I tried to help… good luck to you and may you realize you’re heading in the wrong direction at the least opportune time, may you get off in the ghetto and may you miss your connecting train at North Station. Karma is a b*ch ladies isn’t it?
this is just so typically american and unfriendly.
ReplyDeleteI always try to help someone who looks lost. And I find it amazing whenever anybody whom I've spoken to directly doesn't even deign to acknowledge my presence, but especially so after an offer of help.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for offering. Curses on them for being such jerks.
Were these women in shock that a Bostonian was being friendly?
ReplyDeleteThat's a valid point Mark. Perhaps they were in shock. :)
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