Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Even in 2007?

I had been going through some financial stuff and whatnot. When I was able to recover from the issue, I decided to take myself a little trip to unwind. This was in December of 2007 around the 20th. I went to the city of brotherly love. I didn't really know anyone, except a couple of homeboys from college, but that wasn't really my purpose. I hit them up so that we could hang out while I was there, but my main purpose was just to chill and unwind. I stayed at a decent spot while I was there. I'm actually a gold passport member, so I collect points and get discounts when they offer promotions.

The second day of my stay I decided to go to
Ms. Tootsie's. You know, that's one of the restaurants the queen of television spoke about on one of her shows. If Oprah puts her seal of approval on it, then you know it's bonafide. Remember when she said something about not eating beef and some of the heavys from the beef industry sued her for lost profits? I enjoyed what I ate. When it was over I wanted to stroll down South Street and check out the scene before returning home. At some point it got a little wet and messy. I tried unsuccessfully to hail a cab for about 20 minutes. 20 freakin' minutes.

I thought that perhaps the reason that the cab drivers weren't stopping was because I wasn't doing it right. Maybe I should have been flailing my arms in a left to right motion instead of up and down. I'm not exactly a city slicker. Being a good ole country boy I thought that my cab hailing ability left something to be desired, as hailing cabs is not a valued skill in the south because everyone has a car. Anyway, no one would stop. Meanwhile the drizzle has turned to light rain. I start the trek back to my hotel. I ran up on some dudes hustling cds on the street. I asked them why the cab drivers wouldn't stop for me. They told me that there had recently been a series of cab driver murders committed by individuals who looked like me.

Let me describe my appearance. I looked like an Express model, minus the height. Loafers, jeans, sweater, light bubble jacket. Clearly not threatening. And it's not like I have dreads or anything that people associate with a threatening black man. I'm clean cut, small framed and well attired. Still these m effas wouldn't stop for me. So I'm still just walking back to my hotel. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

That's RACIST like a mug!! Here I am staying at the fuckin' Hyatt Regency looking like an Express model (I'll throw in articulate--you know how white people say that like it's a compliment that you can use the King's English) and these peeps won't give me a ride that I'm willing to pay for back to my hotel. I wasn't headed to the projects or the rough side of town, but they wouldn't even stop so that I could tell them where I was going. They simply saw my outer shell and opted to keep it moving. I guess they don't need money that bad.

Other than that I had a good time just unwinding and chilling. I met some interesting people one night on the street. (Don't ask). Suffice it to say that I've never met a stranger.

4 comments:

mp1 said...

lol @ your cab hailing abilities. hell, I live in a big city and I think I'd be just as bad in trying to catch that cab!

Don't you hate it when they hit you with that "articulate" comment? Like it's out of the ordinary to be able to hold a conversation without saying mutherf***er. It's crazy that we're still viewed in that way.

An Express Model murderer. Now that'd be different!

Jazzy said...

I'm surprised they wouldn't stop for you actually, but then I guess it depends on which neighborhood you were trying to catch one.

A lot of cabs don't stop for Black men because...Black men don't tip. I'm not saying I agree with this, but this is what I've read.

I haven't had any trouble catching a taxi, mostly because I don't take no for answer. I'll wait with my hand up (just straight up is fine...no need to wave), near a light...eventually they have to stop for a red light, so I just get in.

JayBee said...

@mp: I cannot STAND the articulate comment or any of those other psuedo compliments.

@Diva: So basically you're saying I looked stupid waving my hands trying to get them to stop? I mad at you just roughin' it off. How you just gonna hop in somebody's car?

Jazzy said...

LOL!

Ummm...They're a cab driver. Hopping in is what I'm supposed to do. Besides, I'm a New Yorker...being pushy is our motto!