Immigrant Paranoia Hits The BSB

I get tension from people in different ways when it comes to my asking them for ID as they enter the bar. This particular time I had a strange experience with a gentleman regarding his status here in the country.

This man comes in, sometime after 1am on Sunday morning. If I was to guess he was Mexican. As he approaches me, I ask him for his ID. As he reaches for his passport I can literally see the defensive wall being built. The first thing he says is "I'm on vacation", I answer "Ok, welcome." And he hesitates to show me his passport. I'm thinking that maybe its not his and he's stalling. Then he says "Its my first time in New York". I just nod and look at his passport. I see that he was born in 1985 and that it was him in the picture. I notice that he Mexican and that his English is pretty good but he keeps carping and complaining that I had asked him for his ID. Mike and I figure maybe its because he's had a few drinks.

A few minutes later a friend of his comes in and as I'm asking him for his ID, the tense feller says "He's with me", to which I answer "Ok, I still need to see his ID". The second guy shows me it without any issues but the first guy is starting to get pretty aggro. I decide to take a different tact by talking to him in Spanish. He refuses to acknowledge my Spanish and continues to bitch and moan in English. Again I talk to him in Spanish and say the following:

I notice that you are feeling some tension here with my asking you for your ID. I don't care if you are here on vacation, here legally or illegally. The only reason that I ask for your ID is that I have to make sure you are of legal drinking age.Most, if not all bars he'll go into will ask for ID as a proof for age. It has nothing to do with anything else.

I see that he finally gets my message. He says to me in Spanish that this his first time in New York and that he didn't know. He pologized by offering to buy me a drink which I politely refused.

I guess the stress that is being applied to immigrants and foreigners in this country are starting to be felt here in New York. I wonder how often I'm going to have to deal with this in the near future. Guess time will tell.

FH

Man I'm Tired of Complaing About the MTA

One day I'm going to end up in prison for assaulting an MTA Bus driver. I have friends that drive buses and I know their jobs, like mine, can be stressful but a little understanding on their part can make everyone's ride easier. Allow me to elaborate.

With the 6 train station, downtown side at Parkchester under construction those of us who ride the bus to White Plains Road and Westchester Avenue have to get to the 6 train station to St. Lawrence Avenue. The walk is short but the time between Parkchester and St. Lawrence Avenue can be cut to about a 2 minute ride by transfering for the Bx4 bus. So here is the reason for my anger.

I get off the Bx39 and see the Bx4 bus waiting for the light to change while it is sitting in the bus stop. 5 of us get off the bus and run to catch it. As I knock on the door, he freezes us out. Someone on the bus says something to him and he turns to us and shakes his head to tell us he wasn't opening the door. He shows us with his hands that since the bus was sitting in the crosswalk he couldn't open the door though he moved the bus up into the crosswalk while the bus was in the stop. The light turned and he just drove off leaving the 5 of us looking at each other in astonishment.
I'll tell you folks, there was a reason I left the house without cash. I take it as a sign from wherever. Had I had cash, I'd have taken a cab and caught up to the bus and given that fucker the ass beating of his life. I work in a profession where people bait us to see if we get into a fight with them so they can sue the bar for monetary gain. So to say that my patience is plentiful is an understatement. But what that motherfucker did was just wrong and bitch slapping worthy.

Assholes like that guy are the first to try to sway public opinion in his favor when they threat going on strike for their raises. How about working with the public that EMPLOYS YOU for once. Fucking Jackass. Karma will give him his just desserts and I hope I'm there to pass along the seconds.

FH

Subway and the Water Bottle

I'm at the Subway restaurant by the Hunts Point Train Station waiting on line to place my order when this thug walks in off the street with an empty plastic bottle. From my point of view it looked to be a liter. The thug just walks to the fountain soda section places the bottle under the nozzle for water and proceedes to fill his it. The person behind the counter looks at the guy in disbelief and tries to get his attention to no avail.

After filling the bottle, the thug looked up at the counterperson and started cursing at him. How dare the employee of Subway dare say anything to him for just taking water. In his words: Its just fucking water son. Get the fuck outta here with that shit he says "eloquently" as he leaves the store. It reminded me of how people get mad at me when I refuse to let them into the bar to use the bathroom without buying a drink. As if I have all the nerve in the world to tell them no.

Getting back to the Subway scenario. What happened to society that there are those who think that they are entitled to anything they want and fuck everyone else. That's like saying I'm going to walk into a bodega and take a bottle of water from the refrigerator and leave with it saying its only fucking water. People really have a lot of nerve.

What's the poor guy to do? Get into a fight with the thug and risk his life over a liter of water? And people have the nerve to say we live in a civilized age. Whatever.

FH

More E-mail Scams

I decided to break from what seems to be a trend in adventurous rides on the MTA to bring you some more e-mail scams. Ready folks? Here goes.

The first one comes from a Mr. Derick Richard

International Certified Bank Draft

Dear Friend,

How are you today?I Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope this mail meets you in a perfect condition.

I am using this opportunity to thank you for your great effort to our unfinished transaction and transfer of your international bank draft cheque to you from the bank,i am sorry for presenting and using someone else in your name to get this transaction successfull. Due to logistic reasons and your inconsistance to the other best known to you.

Right now, I want to inform you that I have successfully cleared the bank draft check fund to someone else account who was capable of assisting me in this great venture that have been over and successfull.

Due to your effort, sincerity, courage and trustworthiness you showed at the course of the transaction I want to compensate you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of $500,000 Thousand United State Of America Dollars.

I have authorized Mr. Robert Mark whom I deposited the money to issue you a international certified bank draft, cashable cheque at your bank or anywere as choice felt. My dear friend I will like you to contact Dr James Douglas for the collection of this international certified bank draft.

His name and contact address is as follows:

COMPENSATION HEAD QUATERS

NAME: DR James Douglas
Email: james.douglas@rogers.com
Phone Number:+2347095040650

Contact Dr James Douglas At the moment, I?m very busy here in the united kingdom because of the investment projects which myself and my new partner are having at hand In London Finally remember that I have forwarded instructions to Dr James Douglas on your behalf to send the bank draft cheque of $500,000 Thousand United State Of America Dollars to you as soon as you contact him without delay. Please I will like you to accept this token with good faith as this is from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks God bless you and your family. Hope to hear from you soon as soon as you've gotting my compensation and please do not get angry because that is what i have for now till i finish my project.

Best Regards.
Mr. Derick Richard

Ah, those Brits are so friendly and personal. So for my efforts to aid Mr. Douglas I am to receive a sum of five-hundred thousands in U.S. Dollars. Very Nice. Too bad Mr. Richard can't spell. I think the vaunted British education system failed him. LOL. Next!

Here's one from the United States Internal Revenue Service that says I am entitled to a tax refund:

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity, we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of 1563.38 GBP. Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 2-3 days in order to process it.

Click Here to submit your tax refund request

Note : A refund can be delayed for variety of reasons, for example submitting invalid records or applying after deadline.

Best Regards

HM Revenue & Customs
©2010. IRS.gov | Internal Revenue Service | United States Department of the Treasury

Maybe I am just skeptical, but why would the United States Internal Revenue Service say that I am entitled to a tax return of 1586.38 in Great Britain Pounds. Wouldn't the notice have come from whichever governing body in Great Britain that regulates taxes and refunds? Nice try. Be gone!

This one is a new one. It supposedly comes from Facebook, who wants me to click on a link to fill out a survey:

Subject: Facebook Request


Hey,
You have been invited to participate in our short Facebook survey and receive a gift of your choice (click for list of gifts). Participation is required, see offer details

http://crinal.hightechquestions.com/index.aspx?274118-82529047-1714922

This one might have gotten me if it was sent to the email that I have on record with Facebook. Another one bites the dust. Peace!

This one says I may be eligible for G.I. Bill grant money:

Attention:
Re: Veterans Only - GI Bill Info.

You may be eligible for $1321/month for school from the GI Bill

Please register here to claim.

You could receive:
? Online- based Classes
? Knowledgeable Counselors
? Credit for Service
? Flexible Scheduling

The Montgomery and Post 9/11 GI Bills are worth over $49,000. Don't let this valuable benefit doesn't go to waste. Search for military friendly schools today.

This is all well and dandy but for one little detail. I never served in the military. Enough said!

This one says I am eligible for money from the United States Government:

PENDING: Government money may be available for you.

To see if you qualify, Click Here - it's FREE*

Receive $25,000, $50,000 or more!
Ticket ID #746R-XESI7085 will expire soon, please act now.

To see if you are eligible: Please Click Here

You have been selected to receive this ticket because you may be entitled to government funding. The US Government must find recipients in order to distribute over $360 billion dollars to organizations and private individuals.

Sincerely,
Government Funding Solutions Team

Listen, the US Government knows how to find me. They can just send me the check if they are so desperate to give away over three-hundred and sixty billion dollars. Really Now!

And this last little nugget comes with the label "Online Hookup" and comes straight to the point:

There Waiting
http://www.wiveswaiting.com

Keep waiting, my clicking of the link is imminent. I'm outta here.
FH

MTA: An Adventure on Every Ride Part II

Here is today's adventure on the #6 train. Due to a police investigation at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue the #6 train was stuck in between 68th Street and 59th Street. The conductor announces that for those that want to exit the train at 59th Street they should walk towards the front of the train where they would TRY (Notice the capitalization, bolding and italicization of the word) to get the front of the train into the station so they can open one door to let everyone off. Ah the good intentions of the conductor and train operator to facilitate out ride. But we all know which path is lined with good intentions. Right? I'll try to refrain from the sarcasm as I continue with my tale.

For all my train riding, this was truly a new experience. As I walked the length of the train through the conductor's inner sanctum into the front of the train, I had the feeling that I was a lamb being led to its slaughter. Ah public transportation. Nights like these make me want to reconsider my decision to not have a car.

As we sit and wait for the train to inch closer to our percieved freedom, the conductor announces that the police investigation is almost over and that the train will soon be moving. Happy Happy Joy Joy. In the end, after we all make the trek through the train to the front, it pulled into the station as it would usually do and continued on its way Downtown. No apologies, no reason, Nada, Bupkis. By the way, thanks for nothing MTA. Oh, by the way, I still have to get off at 14th Union Square since construction is making my get off at Bleecker Street an impossibility.

After the train stopped again at 23rd Street I decided to get off and take a cab. What can go wrong. LOL.

Like I said last week: MTA An Adventure on Every Ride.

FH