Friday, February 11, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
From Attica to Seattle
Maybe it was inspiration from my friend’s blog post instructing readers to “talk to strangers”. Or maybe it was the fact that I had been longing all weekend to be in New York. But for whatever reason I found myself engaged in conversation with a couple of ex-convicts on the bus yesterday morning.
I had been running to the bus stop to make sure I made it to my training appointment on time. Fortunately the driver saw me and stopped so I could board the Ballard bound 18. I took the first open seat that happened to be behind a couple of guys who were mentioning jogging which I could tell was in reference to me. The younger one offers his opening line “So you went to Madison University?” partially citing my sweatshirt. Under every remotely similar circumstance I have ignored such invitations for communication. But I correct him saying “its James Madison University in Virginia”. He optimistically offers that he and his friend are from New York. Yup, that did it- I’m hooked.
I share that I lived in New York prior to Seattle. “Oh yeah, where?” “Brooklyn” I say which is followed by a prompt for where in Brooklyn. “Williamsburg.” “That’s not Brookyn!” “I know” I admit in defeat- “maybe twenty years ago it was.” This would be in reference to all the young white transplants that made a scene of the formerly Polish, Puerto Rican, Hasidic Jewish and Italian post-industrial waterfront neighborhood where I resided throughout my 4.5 years in The City. There was no way I was going to impress these guys with my pseudo-street cred from merely having lived in New York for a short time.
These guys were born and raised in the South Bronx- Hunts Point. I ask who lives there and after hesitation, clarify “which ethnic groups?” “Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) and Italians.” My new friend is half Italian, half Cuban. He has some tattoos on his left forearm including a Cuban flag and a monopoly game icon that I don’t recall. His older, tooth missing and equally rough looking friend is 100% Italian-American. I am further informed that Cuban-Italian guy grew up a few blocks from where the notorious John Gotti lived. After quick bios, the attention shifts to me. One of the things I miss about New York is the interest/attention paid to what you (ethnically) are. And so it follows I get the question in return and reply “I’m half Italian, half German.” They joke that if anyone messes with me I’ll put them in a concentration camp. Uh yeah. Don’t cross me. Moving right along…
By this point I’m sure you’re wondering, as was I, what these guys were doing in Seattle. When I ask, the younger one consults with his friend “should I tell her?” before admitting, “We did time at Attica.” For those of you who don’t know, Attica is a maximum-security prison in upstate New York. My first exposure to its existence was in hiphop legend Nas’ lyric “If I ruled the world… I’d open every cell in Attica and send them to Africa.” Fortunately (or not), Nas does not rule the world and these guys were sent to Seattle. Today was day 5 of 8 months before they were allowed to return to New York. During their first few days here, they had some keen observations about my latest city.
Fellow Ex-New Yorkers love comparing cities. I remember it was such a relief after moving here to meet my first ex-Brooklynite and sharing experiences. This is because as you can imagine, any city after living in New York is quite an adjustment. Even for ex-cons. Their observations included that “the ladies wear rubber boots in all different colors.” They then imagine/fantasize seeing the ladies here wearing a specific designer or style of boots they are used to seeing in New York.
Their second observation was the high concentration of people downtown talking to themselves. I laugh because I had noticed the same thing upon moving here. And just to drive the point home, it was the first thing a friend visiting from Chicago mentioned. Yes, Seattle has more vagrant types roaming the streets than New York or Chicago. I try explaining that it’s the moderate climate and that we have a lot of community programs that support this population. They say the only place in New York you saw this was around Bellevue (where I happened to work for three years). I tell them I worked in the Social Work- Psychiatry department at Bellevue Hospital, after which the one guy automatically deduces I’m a psychologist. I don’t bother trying to explain what I did there. Instead we change the conversation back to what they’re doing here.
Their immediate goal is to get work on a fishing boat on its way to Alaska. I tell them that’s a great idea. I have to admit to almost being envious because I made I deal with myself that I wouldn’t leave the west coast without first visiting Hawaii and Alaska (neither of which I’ve done). And there they were possibly beating me to one of my travel goals.
By this time the bus was approaching the Ballard Bridge. The guys got up as we approached their stop but not before asking, “You got a number?” to which I gave my first false response.
Youtube comment: The people that dislike this song are definitely crack heads
I had been running to the bus stop to make sure I made it to my training appointment on time. Fortunately the driver saw me and stopped so I could board the Ballard bound 18. I took the first open seat that happened to be behind a couple of guys who were mentioning jogging which I could tell was in reference to me. The younger one offers his opening line “So you went to Madison University?” partially citing my sweatshirt. Under every remotely similar circumstance I have ignored such invitations for communication. But I correct him saying “its James Madison University in Virginia”. He optimistically offers that he and his friend are from New York. Yup, that did it- I’m hooked.
I share that I lived in New York prior to Seattle. “Oh yeah, where?” “Brooklyn” I say which is followed by a prompt for where in Brooklyn. “Williamsburg.” “That’s not Brookyn!” “I know” I admit in defeat- “maybe twenty years ago it was.” This would be in reference to all the young white transplants that made a scene of the formerly Polish, Puerto Rican, Hasidic Jewish and Italian post-industrial waterfront neighborhood where I resided throughout my 4.5 years in The City. There was no way I was going to impress these guys with my pseudo-street cred from merely having lived in New York for a short time.
These guys were born and raised in the South Bronx- Hunts Point. I ask who lives there and after hesitation, clarify “which ethnic groups?” “Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) and Italians.” My new friend is half Italian, half Cuban. He has some tattoos on his left forearm including a Cuban flag and a monopoly game icon that I don’t recall. His older, tooth missing and equally rough looking friend is 100% Italian-American. I am further informed that Cuban-Italian guy grew up a few blocks from where the notorious John Gotti lived. After quick bios, the attention shifts to me. One of the things I miss about New York is the interest/attention paid to what you (ethnically) are. And so it follows I get the question in return and reply “I’m half Italian, half German.” They joke that if anyone messes with me I’ll put them in a concentration camp. Uh yeah. Don’t cross me. Moving right along…
By this point I’m sure you’re wondering, as was I, what these guys were doing in Seattle. When I ask, the younger one consults with his friend “should I tell her?” before admitting, “We did time at Attica.” For those of you who don’t know, Attica is a maximum-security prison in upstate New York. My first exposure to its existence was in hiphop legend Nas’ lyric “If I ruled the world… I’d open every cell in Attica and send them to Africa.” Fortunately (or not), Nas does not rule the world and these guys were sent to Seattle. Today was day 5 of 8 months before they were allowed to return to New York. During their first few days here, they had some keen observations about my latest city.
Fellow Ex-New Yorkers love comparing cities. I remember it was such a relief after moving here to meet my first ex-Brooklynite and sharing experiences. This is because as you can imagine, any city after living in New York is quite an adjustment. Even for ex-cons. Their observations included that “the ladies wear rubber boots in all different colors.” They then imagine/fantasize seeing the ladies here wearing a specific designer or style of boots they are used to seeing in New York.
Their second observation was the high concentration of people downtown talking to themselves. I laugh because I had noticed the same thing upon moving here. And just to drive the point home, it was the first thing a friend visiting from Chicago mentioned. Yes, Seattle has more vagrant types roaming the streets than New York or Chicago. I try explaining that it’s the moderate climate and that we have a lot of community programs that support this population. They say the only place in New York you saw this was around Bellevue (where I happened to work for three years). I tell them I worked in the Social Work- Psychiatry department at Bellevue Hospital, after which the one guy automatically deduces I’m a psychologist. I don’t bother trying to explain what I did there. Instead we change the conversation back to what they’re doing here.
Their immediate goal is to get work on a fishing boat on its way to Alaska. I tell them that’s a great idea. I have to admit to almost being envious because I made I deal with myself that I wouldn’t leave the west coast without first visiting Hawaii and Alaska (neither of which I’ve done). And there they were possibly beating me to one of my travel goals.
By this time the bus was approaching the Ballard Bridge. The guys got up as we approached their stop but not before asking, “You got a number?” to which I gave my first false response.
Youtube comment: The people that dislike this song are definitely crack heads
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)