When the whistle sounded at work yesterday, I was more happy then usual to make my way to the Staten Island Ferry to head home after my day. When i got off the R train from city hall to whitehall ( just three stops), I was coming up the steps and as I got closer to the top the yelling got much louder. There was a man waving a chinese flag, screaming that "Blacks in Port Richmond should be given jobs."
As I walked by this big man, my size, 6'3 but less weight maybe 220, he muttered something at me. Immediately, I pounced on the opportunity to talk to him. He was still yelling during the beginning of the conversation and we were only 5 feet away from eachother. I asked him first why only the blacks should get jobs, and not both sides mexican and blacks. I'm all about peace in my neighborhood, not the fighting that's been going on. The gentleman began to scream some more about china. Finally I was able to get him to agree to put his flag down as I felt it disrespectful to wave the flag on our soil.
Here is the kicker-- I don't feel it's wrong to have complaints about America. I mean, we would have no constiution without complaints about previous rule. However, I do have a big problem with how he was trying to get his message across. Screaming, and waving just makes you look like a deranged man. This man had history knowledge more than any teacher I had ever had in High School ( For Staten Island Tech aluni who know mr guss, this guy had to be his father.) He was just going about it the wrong way.
While i left alot of the good parts of this story out, it ended with me giving him a cigarette because I had no change on me. As i walked away because my buddies little brother had just run into me ( Franklin), we walked towards the boat and this gentlemen was screaming " don't do anything at the board of ed till your tenured, I got fired from there!" My buddies little brother asked me what he probably got fired for. I answered, isn't it obvious " He spoke in the wrong manner, to the wrong person, too loudly."
Just remember folks, especially from this guy, there's a very fine line between genius and insanity.
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