7-11 is scary sometimes
Hey all-
Just got back from 7-11 looking for some late night Gatorade. I had a very strange encounter that I need to re-tell.
I was waiting in line with a few people, one of whom was a friendly Asian woman who was making small talk with everyone in line and with the man behind the counter. She was perhaps slightly friendlier than I would have been at 11:30 at night at 7-11, but she was perfectly pleasant.
Also in line was an extremely large, bald anglo gentleman. For those of you readers who followed the late band Junk Nugget, he looked like a much taller, more muscle-bound version of Mike Ward, our guitar player. As in, if Mike is Bruce Banner, guy in line is the Hulk.
The conversation in line went like this:
Asian Lady (to Huge Bald Guy): "Having a nice night?"
Huge Bald Guy: "Yeah whatever."
[Asian Lady pays and leaves]
Huge Bald Guy (to me): "I mean, I'm not racist or anything, but I fly where the eagle flies if you know what I mean."
Me: "Yeah, totally."
Now, a couple of things bothered me here.
First of all, what the hell did he mean? Like... he only talks to white people? Politely responding to this Asian lady would have been some kind of betrayal to America? Or had he convinced himself that the lady trying to fill the awkward silence in line in 7-11 was interested in him romantically? And thus not "flying" with her would be saving himself for a white lady- a "place" where the "eagle" would "fly"...? I just don't know what "flying" is...
Second of all, what made this guy think that was ok to say to me? He wasn't crazy, so he wasn't just muttering. This made perfect sense to him, and he said it to me as if it were obvious - as if I would agree with him! And he waited until she left, until only I was there and he could speak freely. Do I look like a guy who would "get" something like that?
Third of all, I totally copped out and agreed. And I didn't even take any time to consider it. He had barely finished asking me before I agreed. I know that taking a stand against what may or may not have been racism in defense of a lady I didn't know and who was no longer there was probably not a good enough reason to start an argument with a guy who was of questionable sanity and character and who was unquestionably enormous. But it still made me feel like a sissy. Like a simpering little man.
I'm gonna drink my gatorade now.
Weird...
Just got back from 7-11 looking for some late night Gatorade. I had a very strange encounter that I need to re-tell.
I was waiting in line with a few people, one of whom was a friendly Asian woman who was making small talk with everyone in line and with the man behind the counter. She was perhaps slightly friendlier than I would have been at 11:30 at night at 7-11, but she was perfectly pleasant.
Also in line was an extremely large, bald anglo gentleman. For those of you readers who followed the late band Junk Nugget, he looked like a much taller, more muscle-bound version of Mike Ward, our guitar player. As in, if Mike is Bruce Banner, guy in line is the Hulk.
The conversation in line went like this:
Asian Lady (to Huge Bald Guy): "Having a nice night?"
Huge Bald Guy: "Yeah whatever."
[Asian Lady pays and leaves]
Huge Bald Guy (to me): "I mean, I'm not racist or anything, but I fly where the eagle flies if you know what I mean."
Me: "Yeah, totally."
Now, a couple of things bothered me here.
First of all, what the hell did he mean? Like... he only talks to white people? Politely responding to this Asian lady would have been some kind of betrayal to America? Or had he convinced himself that the lady trying to fill the awkward silence in line in 7-11 was interested in him romantically? And thus not "flying" with her would be saving himself for a white lady- a "place" where the "eagle" would "fly"...? I just don't know what "flying" is...
Second of all, what made this guy think that was ok to say to me? He wasn't crazy, so he wasn't just muttering. This made perfect sense to him, and he said it to me as if it were obvious - as if I would agree with him! And he waited until she left, until only I was there and he could speak freely. Do I look like a guy who would "get" something like that?
Third of all, I totally copped out and agreed. And I didn't even take any time to consider it. He had barely finished asking me before I agreed. I know that taking a stand against what may or may not have been racism in defense of a lady I didn't know and who was no longer there was probably not a good enough reason to start an argument with a guy who was of questionable sanity and character and who was unquestionably enormous. But it still made me feel like a sissy. Like a simpering little man.
I'm gonna drink my gatorade now.
Weird...
posted by Dan at 1:38 AM
5 comments
