Yesterday Arnie took me to lunch. Right before we walked into the restaurant out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a guy I knew, but couldn't place. He grinned at me as I walked by, and it slipped out of my mind as I walked in.
Arnie was telling me all these stories about when he was in the military stationed in South Korea and we were there for over an hour. When we left, I saw the guy from before leaning against the wall as people swarmed past him.
All of a sudden I realized where I knew him from, and why I hadn't been able to place him before. In the past, I'd always seen him in the South Bronx. He smiled at me, and we said hi. Arnie stood there quietly, so I introduced them. "Rod, this is Arnie, my boss. Arnie, this is Rod, my pi.... my old neighbor."
Me and my sisters totally thought of him as "our pimp" but until I was about to say it out loud, I hadn't realized how it would sound. We never referred to him by name, and would sometimes go back to Aunt Elaine's and show each other the lollipop he gave one of us or something. Sometimes it's awkward when your social circles collide.
2 comments:
We had a neighbor who was known as the neighborhood pimp. He was a very nice dresser, always had an outfit with a matching hat and cane. That's a role that doesn't get filled in suburbia, huh? (well it does, but usually by people who keep their role hidden)
What a funny moment!
Is it ever not awkward when worlds collide?
Look how far you've come!
Post a Comment