Urban Thought | 9 Observations Focused, I was as I was walking to my connecting train. I felt a tap on my shoulder. Oh, it’s one of my colleagues from one of my many jobs. Any time I see her I know I’m late.
SHE: This is twice in a row I’ve seen you this week.
ME: I know. Go figure. And we are both late.
We finally make our way to the platform. There is some homeless/vagrant dude yapping away about something no one understands. Bobbing and weaving through the crowd. It’s hard to miss him.
SHE: Don’t you love commuting in NYC. It’s always something going on.
ME: Tell me about it.
SHE: Well, this is my train. See you tomorrow.
ME: Yeah, have a good one.
I’m making my way through the crowd on the platform to find a clear spot to call my own until the train comes. Who makes their way toward me but the homeless/vagrant guy.
Homeless Dude: Hey! What happen to your hand? Injured yourself.
ME: Something like that.
HD: I see you work out.
It’s a warm day. I have no jacket. My shirt isn’t tight on me at all. But it is hard to miss the fact that I work out.
ME: Yeah.
HD: Is that how you injured yourself?
ME: Yeah. Doing forearm curls.
HD: Yeah, I can see why you injured yourself. You have skinny forearms. You aught to be careful.
No shit I thought. That is why I was working on them. OK. Now I’m ready for the train to come. This seems like the longest wait I’ve ever experienced during rush hour.
HD: I see you work out on your chest. (as he points to my chest) You do those wide grip joints and the bench presses.
ME: Yeah, those “joints” are pretty standard for chest workouts.
Homeless/Vagrant dude steps closer to me. This time around he pocks me in my stomach. My abs aren’t where I want them to be but they are pretty much solid.
HD: Oh, you got abs.
ME: You need to back up. For real.
HD: Feel my abs.
ME: Back up.
HD: Just feel my abs. I don’t smell.
Homeless/Vagrant dude, althrough he didn’t smell, had missing teeth and clothes that were of the dirty kind. He looked homeless in every way possible.
ME: You need to back up.
HD: Just feel my abs. My stomach is tight.
ME: OK. You need to back up off me. Step back and keep it moving.
HD: Why?
ME: Because I asked you to.
HD: Good enough. Hope your wrist gets better. And work out hard. Summer’s approaching.
WTF? Can I not have issues with the homeless?
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Tags: homeless
That was quite the odd encounter! You sounded respectful but HD wasn’t being respectful back.
Regarding issues and homeless - I do think there is something about what we “attract” into our lives. I think we attract what we focus on whether we want it or not! For example, I used to attract all these rescuer type men! But..back then I had a “rescue me” type of vibe.
Now I attract married men or recently-divorced or men-in-transition. Yeesh. I know it’s me and not them.
I used to get more of those crazy-street-people encounters but no longer. Now I tend to meet super-cool and active elderly folk.
Anyway, when I attract what I don’t want (like these married guys or these “wounded” men) I wonder at what type of energy I am giving out to attract this.
I have one friend who is a magnet for a very specific type and she even laughs about it: men who are not quite sure of their…manliness. They aren’t gay but they are not sure if they are straight. So they start dating her and then start cross dressing!
In my case I’m working on dating ju-ju as I think of it. Signs are looking much better although one married guy made a move and it was so outta left field for me it had me wondering. I seldom flirt and I don’t flirt with married guys unless it’s very obvious that it’s in fun and more flattery that flirting (and the wife is around). As usual, I take my comment off topic!
I also work out pretty hard and I’ve also been the victim of people starting some very awkward and uncomfortable conversations about my body.
I wonder how a homeless guy goes about getting good abs?
LMAO!!! That was TOO funny!! Fitness advice from the homeless! LOVE IT! Hey, maybe he was a serious gym goer before the hard times hit. You never know.
I laughed out loud at the part where he said that your forearms were scrawny. You definitely took it all pretty well.
The touching part, though…yeah, that woulda freaked me out. I don’t like UNhomeless people touching me either. I am very big on “personal space”.
I once had a new fitness manager in one of our clubs come into my class to meet me for the first time, and she immediately grabbed both my hands and was right up in my face, like damn near six inches apart from my face on VERY FIRST CONTACT and she was saying “Oh, I’ve heard SO MUCH about you” and “I need to come take your class!”, and going on and on like that in the middle of introducing herself to me, holding my hands up and shaking them as she talked, and the whole time I’m thinking “Get your hands OFFA me!!”m but at the same time trying to remain polite. She had me in this vice like grip, and I was like WTF?? I’ve never even seen this person before in my life! If she had been someone on the street, I’da clocked her. That really unnerved me, and I felt somewhat violated! lol
Like “I didn’t give you permission to touch me!!” lol
I really don’t like touchy-feely people. Especially touchy-feely STRANGERS.
You handled it well, though. Good encounter!
That is hilarious!! As much as you study and photograph the homeless, it is a little weird when they want to study you. . .
The fact that you engaged him in conversation after the comment about your forearms makes you a better person than I.
I have never had an encounter with a homeless person…I will continue to live vicariously through you, if the encounters are anything like the ones you have had!
We just brought home the new puppy, Fergus, yesterday, and Cai has been as offended by his presence as you were by the street person. At least the homeless guy had no fear that you would bite him…
Ms. Q: You took me some place. I think you should run with that and make it a post. I know you’ve discussed it before. Dating Ju-Ju… sound interesting. Makes me wonder why I attract older woman.
Mike: I think it has something to do with their eating habits. I’m sure he wasn’t always homeless. His abs memories were never lost. They probably never forgot ever being anything other than hard. But I would assume he doesn’t eat too much to gain fat. We’ll call it the ‘Homeless Diet.’ It isn’t for everyone but it works for some.
Fitness Diva: You know… I don’t think my forearms are that bad. LOL… But it’s all good. I don’t have big guns but they work.
It’s one thing to hear about you its entirely different to touch all up on you. Is it the worst when you have an audience? I think my face would have told her to back off. But like me, you dealt it like a champ.
OP: Are you saying I brought it on myself? Huh? Is that what you are saying? Just playing… Yeah, it had to happen sometimes. I have another encounter I’m going to share soon. I just have to get past the N word.
MarvalusOne: It gets worst. I have one more to tell. Coming next week.
Lavenderbay: At least dude didn’t bite me. LOL… I’m sure those pups will get along just fine. They just have to get used to each other. As for me and the homeless… I’m glad I only had to be there for a few minutes.
puahahahaha
no pics of this encounter?lmao
I don’t even know what you look like or your age - I just sense that you’re younger than I. BUT, there is no mystery to me why older women would be attracted to you: you’re very much your own person, I get the impression you’re very attractive and you’re thoughtful and mature and considering. Based on the fact that you also try to see the good and not judge, a older woman might feel comfortable expressing an interest in you.
Plus, there are those abs of yours… (just guessing!!)
Regarding writing about “Dating Ju-Ju” - so far I’ve avoided the topic (barring comments!) but it may make for a funny post or heck, even a thoughtful one.