Yesterday I was riding the "L" home from the Loop. At the Fullerton stop a woman with her 3 children (and one tiny baby) boarded. Since it was rush hour, and no seats were available, I did the gentlemanly thing and offered her my seat. Then I went back to reading my book (Chuck Palahniuk's "Pygmy", which is fucking awesome).
Minutes later my literary bliss was interrupted by a preacher of sorts. Dude was rocking a vintage Chicago Bulls #23 jersey and yelling into people's faces about "JESUS LOVES YOU. HE DON'T CARE IF YOU RICH OR POOR, BLACK OR WHITE, SAINT NOR SINNER - HE LOVES YOU!"
This isn't anything new or unique. Happens all the time on Chicago's mass transit, and most people tend to let the crazy fuckers do their thing, until they get bored and move on. I have to give this particular Crazy credit though. He wasn't pestering people for money, nor did he reek of urine, so I basically just smiled, nodded and stuck my face back in my book.
However, a smallish older Latino man at the end of the train car got PISSED THE FUCK OFF. Here's a brief a summation of the conversation they had:
CRAZY PREACHER DUDE: "...and if you is a liar, a cheat, if you steal from your fellow man, YOU MUST REPENT..."
SMALLISH LATINO MAN: "HEY ASSHOLE...HOW'S ABOUT YOU GET A FUCKING JOB!".
CRAZY PREACHER DUDE: "...I ain't pan handling, I'm just speaking the good Lord's word, ain't no harm in that."
SMALLISH LATINO MAN: "...yeah right you fucking piece of shit. Take that shit back to the South Side, you fucking N*****".
Oh man. I've never not heard so much silence in a packed "L" train car before. The Crazy preacher guy was kinda annoying, but ultimately harmless. But this guy, that verbally beat the shit out of him...WHAT THE FUCK WAS HIS PROBLEM? Dropping N-Bombs and using the word "FUCK" like I do, in public, in front of a gaggle of children no less? What a fucking asshole!
After I got off at my stop I regretted not confronting said fucking asshole, but then realized that, it wouldn't have made a difference. If this guy is that able to freely express his racism in public, nothing I could say will sway him. However, I do wish I had called him out about his actions in front of young, impressionable children. Then again, doing that after the fact would serve only my own ego, so fuck it, I'm glad I kept my trap shut.
3 comments:
hey, i was just having a bad day man. leave me alone!
Justin!
This is exactly why I always try taking the bus instead of the "L"!
Weren't there female passengers in Rogers Park complaining of being sexually harassed on the Red Line? I recall a couple months back, these young women asking for some type of security on the "L" trains.
After reading your latest encounter maybe that's not such a bad idea.
After all, what if the preacher and the smallish Latino got into a fist fight? Who would've broken that up while the train was moving and filled with so many people?!?!
Where are the transit police when you really need them!
-Dean
Sheesh...lucky that guy left alive. I mean not everyone on the train was a "Christian", I'm sure.
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