Talk To Me

On a cold winter’s day a couple of weeks ago, The Leopard and his two cubs were strolling on the streets of Harlem when, stopping at traffic light, I spotted an elderly homeless woman, dressed in mounds of rags shouting directly into one of those 9 1/2 foot futuristic kiosks you see on many street corners in NYC these days. They were made to replace payphones and provide wi fi service, and are charging stations for cell phones. 

These metal totems bring to mind the obelisks seen in Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey,  - only equipped with large, brightly lit touch screens featuring colorful graphics – maps and neighborhood info. Also there’s a red panic button installed with an intercom so that pedestrians can call in emergencies via 911 from the street.

As we waited for the long stoplight, I couldn’t help but listen to this lady loudly exclaiming into the kiosk all manner of grievances: first, New York and how filthy it is; how she hated all manner of people who live here and such; and how much in particular she hates her son-in law, her ex-husband, and how much her family in general never appreciated her; also, how she was in the FBI and the CIA and she will soon be revealing to the world secret missions she was sent on by George Bush in the early 2000’s.

As far as I could tell, the person on the other end of the conversation (if there was one) did not respond to her complaints.

I glanced back at a traffic cop who was about to wave us across the street. She smiled. “She does that every day.  Just shouts into that thing for hours about all kinds of stuff.”
“I kind of look forward to it a little, now. Helps break up the monotony.”

  
  

Drat Rats

It's impossible to use the New York City subway system and not encounter big, ugly, scary rats. In fact, they've become such a fixture in everyday city life that you only wonder about them if you don't see them.

The Leopard was waiting for the #2 train late the other night around 12:00am at the 157th street station in Harlem where it was relatively quiet and when the rat population is happiest. After the last train departed the station, they came out in droves - momma rats and baby rats,  daddies and Big Daddies, who came into the light to show off their dirty little pink tails. 

New Yorkers being what they are, tons of discarded food wrappers litter the tracks, and that's like a banquet to a rat. Imagine being brought a fancy gourmet meal to your door every night.  That's why these critters ain't going anywhere.

This hairy brood have become as much a tourist attraction these days as the naked cowboy is on Times Square.