Harlem can be worse…

Sunday  16th

So after a very annoying day trying to shop, we get off at 125st to eat. I was trying to get Taco Bell, but I honestly couldn’t find one. So we go to McDonald’s. The lines are so freakin long and the employees look like they are asleep. The woman in front of me is singing and dancing, announcing “Happy Sunday!” Anyway, I finally sit down with my boy to eat. Suddenly, a hooded guy  with his face hidden and lowered tried to sell us a gold chain (which seems to be fake). He asks over andover again and we keep telling him “No” but he won’t let up. So my boyfriend starts raising his voice to him. The guy backs down saying “Ok, ok tough guy don’t beat me up.” and goes to some other customers, before coming back and repeating it a few more times.  My boyfriend was pissed. The damn guy was practically spitting on our food he was so close. Anyway…we leave and I go to the bank to deposit my paycheck. I am filling out the deposit slip when some older chick comes up behind me and starts asking for money. It makes me very uncomfortable and on edge, but I just ignore her. My boyfriend,who is standing near the atm shouts “I can’t believe this shit!”, and she unwisely goes to him and starts to beg. He says “I don’t have change, money, food, booze, aids, anything to give you.” She keeps asking and he keeps rattling off strange and unusual things he doesn’t have. She eventually leaves. Later, my boyfriend chides me about being more alert. “She could have taken a knife out on you and cut your neck.” He tells me that I don’t need to be offensive, but I do need to be defensive and aware of my surroundings. I guess he is right…but I’ve been doing the path of least resistance for years. Guess New York is becoming a little more dangerous these days.