Lessons from NYC: Bagels and Black Beauty
Lesson #1: Don’t take it personally.
In line at Bagel Works, the woman ahead of me misses the counter staff asking for her order … twice ["Next? Miss?"]. After her clear disengagement (did she already order? was it because of her earbuds?), the counter staff asks for my order. About half way through ["Sesame bagel, not toasted, with plain cream cheese; large coffee with milk, no sugar."] the woman turns around to looks at me in total disgust. Jaw agape and various disapproving scoffs, she makes it clear that she thinks I have stepping in front of her in line. People around also chime in. I am a NYC-bagel outcast.
Being the apologizing sort, it was all I could do to not explain what had happened in length and/or slink out of the shop with my brown bag thinking I had done something wrong. Of course, when living in NYC, you encounter this kind of event daily. For example, the sales person who openly sneers at your when you respond “large” after being asked what size of drink you would like. Why does she sneer at you? Who knows? You can’t take it personally.
Echoing this sentiment, this all reminded me of one part of Black Beauty where he is a young horse and is placed in a field with sheep and cows [*scoff* "Live-stock!?!"] and a bordering train track. The purpose is to have him become adjusted to trains. The first time a train appears, Black reacts: “I turned and galloped to the further side of the meadow as fast as I could go, and there I stood snorting with astonishment and fear. … As I found that this terrible creature never came into the field, or did me any harm, I began to disregard it, and very soon I cared as little about the passing of a train as the cows and sheep did.” Apparently this section is entitled “Chapter 3: My Breaking In”. Hilarious? Yes I think so. ~LL
