It's when I get an opportunity to deflate the arrogance of the rich.
I was driving west on an Upper East Side side street (one lane, cars parked on either side) when I got flaged down by a group of three un-extraordinary looking residents of that zone - meaning well dressed white people. So I stopped to pick them up and all of a sudden there is this horn honking and brights on to blind me. Shit like this happens sometimes and it doesn't bother me.
Now you know, New York taxis, the legal kind, are bright yellow and have pretty unusual lights on their roofs. If you are not from another galaxy, and you've seen at least one NY NY movie or television show you probably know this. And one thing these taxis do is top to pick up and discharge passengers.
Now the traffic control lights on these narrow side streets are timed so that the motorists will stop at least for a few seconds at each intersection. This is a good and just thing, too, as it actually enhances public safety if not civility.
Another thing one can almost assume about a yellow taxi is it is not being driven by a sexagenarian white haired man with a hearty New York accent. I mean, it's no big thing and it's not an honor nor a virtue nor anything else very important but I am one of a very small tribe. I'm pretty sure that almost everyone on the street who is not actually able to see my face would assume that I am a non white immigrant, and thee is no particular honor or virtue or anything very special in that. Historically certain types of work have been undertaken and done primarily by new comers to New York City.
So when this well dressed man got out of his car to castigate me as I waited for the light to change I'm pretty sure was a bit surprised when I lowered the window the better to communicate with him and he not only saw me, he heard me as well. As he was warming up about my rudeness (which there might indeed be in me but which was not on display at this instance) I simply said "get out of my face." and I stepped gently on the as as the light had just changed to my favor.
I was driving west on an Upper East Side side street (one lane, cars parked on either side) when I got flaged down by a group of three un-extraordinary looking residents of that zone - meaning well dressed white people. So I stopped to pick them up and all of a sudden there is this horn honking and brights on to blind me. Shit like this happens sometimes and it doesn't bother me.
Now you know, New York taxis, the legal kind, are bright yellow and have pretty unusual lights on their roofs. If you are not from another galaxy, and you've seen at least one NY NY movie or television show you probably know this. And one thing these taxis do is top to pick up and discharge passengers.
Now the traffic control lights on these narrow side streets are timed so that the motorists will stop at least for a few seconds at each intersection. This is a good and just thing, too, as it actually enhances public safety if not civility.
Another thing one can almost assume about a yellow taxi is it is not being driven by a sexagenarian white haired man with a hearty New York accent. I mean, it's no big thing and it's not an honor nor a virtue nor anything else very important but I am one of a very small tribe. I'm pretty sure that almost everyone on the street who is not actually able to see my face would assume that I am a non white immigrant, and thee is no particular honor or virtue or anything very special in that. Historically certain types of work have been undertaken and done primarily by new comers to New York City.
So when this well dressed man got out of his car to castigate me as I waited for the light to change I'm pretty sure was a bit surprised when I lowered the window the better to communicate with him and he not only saw me, he heard me as well. As he was warming up about my rudeness (which there might indeed be in me but which was not on display at this instance) I simply said "get out of my face." and I stepped gently on the as as the light had just changed to my favor.
