Right across the street from my house, there is a Rite Aid, and for reasons that I have yet to fully grasp (as far as I know, they have all the regular items any drug store holds), they have security guard at the front door. I think they have three to four gentleman they rotate during the course of the day (its a 24 hour Rite Aid), and for the most part, they are pretty cool. They don't have guns or handcuffs, but their uniforms are sharp and they do have cool walkie-talkies (I'm sure there is more formal name for these contraptions, but saying walkie-talkie reminds me of my youth) There is one who follows my lady around the store a bit too much for my liking, but that's relatively benign, plus my lady has stolen before, so they gotta lock that down.

I make it a point to speak to all of them, because 90% of the people who come in and out of that store, just completely ignore or talk down to them. I was taught a long time ago, by my main man Cliff's father, that you speak to everyone when you enter an establishment..janitors, cashiers, the people in business suits, all that.. You just never know who you're speaking to, who they know, where they can get you, etc..

Anyway, there is one security guard at the Rite, whose behavior baffles me for some reason. He looks to be in his mid to late 40s, he's at least 50lbs overweight, his uniform is always dirty and untucked, and his posture is terrible. Whenever he sees me walking towards or near him, he puts his head down and mumbles a greeting after I say, "What's up man?". The first time he did it, I thought he was just being funny, but this happens each and every time I try speak to him. I've seen him joking and laughing with other employees, customers, etc, but I don't get that same treatment, and it irks the shit out of me.

So now I wonder what the root of his snubs are. Does he think that I think I'm better than he is? Does he feel bad because he knows I've caught him looking at my girl's ass more than once? (which is fine, I look at it too) Does he feel ashamed because he thinks he should be doing better, and seeing me reminds him of that? Does he know I have a blog and obsess over little things, so he's giving me ammo? I don't know what the hell it is, but it really bothers me. Half the time when I go into that Rite-Aid, its late at night, or early in the morning, and I'm dressed like a bum anyway, so there's no reason (that I can see) for him to think I'm better than he is and not speak with his head up. And all this aside, it annoys me that he can't tuck his shirt in and clean his uniform....

I don't think this entry is coming off the way I want it to, but I'm not deleting it.
I'm a man..a black man at that, and I don't like to see any man..particularly a black one, walk around with his head down looking sloppy on his job. But for him to be looking like that, speaking to everyone else, and then snubbing me? That puzzles and annoys me even more.

Perhaps this makes sense to someone if not, move along, there's nothing to see here...

Windmills of Your Mind - Take 6