I

I love going out
the fresh air and exercise
but between my eyes and knee
I always come back exhausted
especially when I’ve rubbed elbows
with someone the wrong way
and there’s too much of that these days

Pay day
groceries
all the usual haunts at the local plazas
but it’s a strange world these days
both inside my head and the outside world
the aftermath of COVID-19
there’s a lot of hungry people out there


II

A few weeks ago, a young panhandler
asked me for money
“Sorry Man, no can do.”
I had a full grocery cart
and was heading to the pet store as my last stop
where I’d call a cab to go home

While waiting for the cab
I watched as the panhandler slowly worked his way
down the mall sidewalk
stopping directly behind me but against the back wall

My spider senses began to tingle
hating it when someone stands behind me
a vulnerable blind spot
for anyone
and I knew he was sizing me up

Having had lots of experience with street people
in my younger days
I repositioned myself so that he was on my right side
and I could keep an eye on him
with the taxi approach on my left
I looked over at him and he returned the gaze
as he puffed on a cigarette
then we both turned away
neither one of us smiled
but he knew I knew what he was up to

I pulled out a cigarette of my own and asked him for a light
he asked me for a cigarette in return
the energy level somewhat turned down
small talk about wanting the mall to put back the benches
taken away for legal reasons during the pandemic

As the taxi approached
he walked away
and that was the end of our interaction
with a full cart of groceries
it could have turned out worse
from now on I keep a can of something
at the top of one of my bags


III

Today was a similar routine
but this time the aggressor was a taxi driver
a guy I’d never seen before
a small east-Indian
I threw all my bags into his trunk
and had to direct him all the way home

When I reached into my pocket looking for coins
it’s only a $6.00 fair, but I often give $8-10
the driver immediately turned around
and started mouthing off sarcastically
about giving him change
“That’ll be $10 my friend…with all those bags.”

Although drivers are allowed to charge 35 cents a bag
I always tip enough to cover any such cost
the gall of the guy though to demand a full $10 for a $6 ride
without even giving me a chance to pull out my money
so I took out two fives and handed them to him

He had at least backed up the car into my driveway
and helped carry the groceries to the door
still, my first instinct had been to bash him in the head
with a can of peaches for his rudeness
but my hands were tied
depending on taxis so much these days
that I couldn’t afford to be blacklisted
let alone get arrested at my age

I contemplated complaining to the company
but who knows what kind of vengeance
that would have provoked
with he and his taxi friends
and God only knows what crosses he was bearing
in any case I knew with an attitude like that
karma would eventually catch up with him


IV

Yup, a lot of hungry...angry people out there
strange times indeed
it's too bad


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210 hits as of March 2024

05/28/2022

Posted on 05/28/2022
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti