I posted this on another blog earlier, but felt compelled to share it here on my personal blog as well. I rarely do that, but this was a special exception to the rule.
On the train this morning:
I board at 14th St. Union Square. I conscientously (as I always do) cover my mouth as soon as a small cough escapes my lips. A girl sitting five feet away who was not even looking in my direction, waves her hand in the air, muttering loudly.
Rude Bitch: Eeew. Don't be coughin your nasty germs all over me.
Me: I didn't cough on you. That's why I covered my mouth.
Bitch: Pssssigh... Nasty white girl coughin on me. I don't need nobody coughin they nasty germs on me. Especially some white germs. Hell no.
Me: You really have an attitude problem. I was careful to cover my mouth so I don't know what you are getting yourself all worked up about. What is your problem?
Bitch stands up, puts her stuff on the seat and advances "all up in my grill." I look at her in the eyes.
Bitch: I'm getting an attitude because I don't need no fuckin white bitch coughin her nasty germs all over me.
Me: First of all, I covered my mouth. Second of all, you're the one starting shit with me so why don't you take a fucking seat and I'll go back to reading my book. How's that?
Rude bitch is getting really mad because I'm talking back. She doesn't like it. She threatens to hit me. I don't stop eye contact. Tell her to go ahead. She decides to keep flapping the giant hole in her face. Maybe because she can tell that if she touches me I am going to fuck her up to the very best of my ability, despite the fact that we are on a crowded train and I should probably be bigger than that.
Bitch: Go ahead and read you cheap ass book you white trash bitch. Why don't you cover your mouth when you fucking cough. I don't need those nasty germs.
Me: (this is getting a little old...) I did cover my mouth.
Bitch: Well I didn't see you.
Me: I know you didn't see me. That's because you were too busy catching a fucking attitude. And if I was all up in your face making racist remarks you already woulda hit me, so I suggest you knock it the fuck off.
Bitch sits down crosses arms, makes more hissing, muttering, pissed off grumbling remarks. Thank god, train arrives without delay at Grand Central. We both get off and she mugs me real hard (a/k/a giving me the evil eye) as she walks away. I ignore and go back to reading my book. Crack is whack kids. Just remember. Crack is whack.
Posted by Maria at November 20, 2003 11:15 AM | TrackBackWhoa Nelly!!!
I'm so glad you stuck your ground, really. It's one of those situations we've all been in and sometimes we never say anything, but stay pissed about it all day and than go over it in our minds thinking, "I should have said this...."
Now all praise aside, you be careful girl, some of these people ain't playing w/a full deck if you get my drift. Don't get stabbed or shot over pride. You're a tough broad, but you know where I'm going with this, so....I'll shut up.
But anyway, good for you.
Maybe your close friends won't tell you, so allow a complete stranger to offer you some good advice. Yes, the woman on the train was a complete bitch nutjob. BUT, the very fact that you responded to her in the first place instead of merely ignoring her on a crowded new york subway (very easy to do) basically means YOU were kinda spoiling for a fight too. Be honest with yourself. You've got a bit of the bitch gene inside 'you' as well. So writing a long post about some bitch (highlighting her ghetto speak I noticed) is a waste of time when it all could have been avoided by simply ignoring her completely valueless comment. You are scrappy. You sometimes spoil for a fight. You are not better than her. If you were, you would never have addressed her in the first place. Don't pretend this isn't the case, and you'll be much happier.
Posted by: Random Cow at November 22, 2003 12:30 AMMaria definitely doesn't need me to speak up on her behalf but damn random cow..haven't you yourself been in a situation where all self control were thrown to the wayside? Haven't you ever had an encounter where you've thought, "today is not the day, I'm not keeping quiet". We've all been there and after reading Marias blog for quite sometime I don't think she means anything other than what she wrote pertaining to the ghetto speak. She was painting a true picture of the incident, being detailed about it, nothig more or less in my opinion. I certainly didn't get from this entry that Maria thinks she is better than anyone, if anything I found "pity" in her words. It definitely is a pity that this other woman could not have enjoyed a quiet ride herself, it's a pity that she had to pipe up at all and obviously leave a bad taste in marias mouth. It's always a pity when unpleasant things happen.
Posted by: sandy at November 22, 2003 02:15 AMI never claimed not to be "scrappy" and I certainly wasn't looking for anyone to give me a cookie for the way I handled it. I simply relayed an incident the way it happened. Word for word. If you knew me better, Random Cow, you might know that I have gotten in more than my share of stupid fights where I was either the instigator or just responded violently to someone elses bullying. I don't deny that that is me. My life has been chock full of being kicked out of school, drinking, lying, stealing, fucking, fighting, debaucherous insanity, so don't assume that I am putting myself on any high horse. I'm definitely not. But I don't wake up and walk out of my house and go to work everyday to get pushed around by some cranky ignorant bitch on the subway. I don't just ignore it. I fight back. That's the way I am. Ain't nobody fucking pushing me around. And that's that. I never said I was innocent. But I'll tell you this, I'm not a racist, and I would never stoop to calling her the things she called me.
Posted by: Maria at November 23, 2003 04:19 PMp.s. And regarding the alleged "highlighting" on the "ghettospeak:" I must have missed that. I wrote it exactly the way she said it. Next time, shall I translate her language into the queen's english so that nobody thinks that I'm "highlighting" that which conveys her character? Maybe I'll remove her racial slurs next time too as not to place undue prejudice on her to the apparent jury. shoot...
Posted by: Maria at November 23, 2003 04:38 PMSometimes when I recant a story, particulary to my mom, I get alot of flak,grief,etc...People will say, "Oh Sandy, you really didn't say that did you?" For a brief moment I second guess myself, than ultimately I go, fuck it. It's who I am, how I act, like it or lump it you know.
I myself enjoy a good story, storytelling is an ancient art and when it's done right, the storyteller leaves nothing out. The time of day, the smell in the air, the accent of a person, all of it goes into the pot. Maria, you painted a wonderful picture of the incident, never mind the unpleasantness of it. It's why I continue to read your blog. I hate when someone tells me a story and you know they're leaving so much out. I appreciate the womans slang and it wouldn't have been the same had you told it another way. It was just another view into "a day in the life of Maria".....Well, for what it's worth it was written well and I did enjoy it.