Eating Clam Chowder in the lower level of Grand Central tonight. A homeless black woman is staring at me from the next table.
"Hey baby!"
"Hi" (I give a nod and a polite smile)
"Baby...is that a real smile?"
"I'm being polite."
"You know baby...I'm 61 years old and I don't look as old as you...ya know why?... Cause black don't crack!" (laughs)
(I give a genuine smile).
"Baby, You do know that Adam and Eve was black don't ya?"
"Yeah...I suppose."
"Give me a fistpump on that."
(We fist-bump)
"Baby...Did you know that God is black too?"
"Hmmmm...I kind of picture him as being colorless."
"Alright...Alright...I'm willing to go with dat...if you can find your way into giving me some money for a sandwich."
"But you insulted me! I'm 55 and you said you look younger than me."
''Oh baby... don't worry about dat''
I laugh, reach into my pocket and hand her a 10.
"Thank you baby...now give mama a hug."
I hesitantly stood and reluctantly embraced her.
Passing commuters stared at us, the bedraggled conductor and his homeless, ageless, nubian princess.
What a sight!
