Tuesday, September 25, 2007

east wmsbgggggggggg

weirdest bklyn encounter i’ve had in a while tonight.. buddy of mine and I were talking bout risin crime around my studio. mostly kids holdin up people. typical shit, lots of new blood (read hipster/white) in a nabe that’s been hispanic/black/poor for a good many years. i’ve been in wmsbg since ’92 and have seen the whole rise and or fall (dependin on who you speak to). went thru the same in dc/mt. pleasant in late 80s/early 90s. this is a shadier neighborhood than the normal wmsbg. anyway, in conversation, he mentioned a latin king newly sprung from jail who’d been hittin him up for money. He guessed the dude had been incarcerated for a while.

after studio we split for a drink at a newish local/hipster/white bar we’re buds with. leaving the bar, we’re met by a smallish spanish dude, askin for money. not an out of the ordinary situation in the neighborhood. buddy and I are aren’t lookin at each other. suddenly the dude says, “I got $22.50, need to go see my girl, i need some money!” my bud says he’s spent til the first of the month, i spill the obligatory “i got nuthin on me”. he offers, “yo. I’m a latin king!” and I realize this is the guy. I give him another good look, ballcap wearin maybe 5’5”, NUTHIN inspirin fear in me (nod to 2 fellow free swingin bloggerz …. that must mean sumthin!!!). he pseudo-angrily sez “what is it with the white guys around here? i’m a latin king. i’m king dito!” he starts to trail behind.

all sudden, i feel bad. when he left, it was his place. should he have kicked my ass and grabbed the $60 outta my pocket? or has time has left this dude behind? i’m guessin maybe his time in the joint was longer than my tenure in the nabe? look on his face was priceless. It’s like cousin tony getting outta the joint with his miami vice suit or maybe the dude from ”i’m gonna get you sucka.” is it sorry dude, i got a kid to feed and shit to do. i’m the white dude … who’s lived here for 15 years?

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