I like sitting in the corner of the sandwich shop at J & 8th Streets, because the street scene there is fairly gritty (one fellow described the passing people as 'animals', but I think he was a bit too harsh). Behind the glass window panes I see lots of colorful things I don't understand.
Today, a young black woman came up to the door. A punk on a bike quickly parked and said something to her I didn't understand. She ignored him. He gave her a dirty look and rode off. She made a purchase and as soon as she left the shop the punk reappeared as if from nowhere and started mouthing off to her (once again, I couldn't hear what he said). She ignored him again. He rode off, all the while mouthing off. It didn't look like a very nice scene at all.
Young women have always borne the brunt of punks mouthing off to them. Young black women, in particular, have borne that weight.
After I left the shop, I was surprised to see the young woman at another street corner. Perhaps this scene was more complicated than I thought. She crossed the street while talking on a cell phone, and entered a check-cashing establishment. I would have watched further, but at some point voyeurism crosses over into stalking, and so it was time to move on....
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