Aquarius Are Strong

12 Jun Aquarius Are Strong

The most awkward thing happened to me the other day. I was waiting for the 1 train at 28th street to take me to a press preview. I was walking along the platform–I’m not going to lie–I was kind-of pacing in a circle, randomly without headphones in, when I notice, what looks like, a homeless man. I don’t want to get too close, so I pretend that was as far as I was going and start making circles in the other direction.

I guess I made a face, I swear, everything shows on my face, and the man realizes I went the other way because of him.

“You scared of me,” he asked. YES, I absolutely am. “No,” I say instead.

“You ain’t got to be scared of me,” he says coming closer.

Cover me, Jesus. Cover. Me. 

I’m not, I tell him.

Wearing: Madewell sweater, Forever 21 pants, Coach Legacy Duffle, J.Crew Studded Heel Sandals, Nordstrom Necklaces and Nars Schiap

He comes closer, and I can’t tell if he’s homeless. He doesn’t have hole-y clothes on but something’s happening with his teeth. I can’t tell if they’re there or not. It smells like fart when he does move closer, but I can’t tell of it’s him–I know it wasn’t me. How you like New York, he asks. Fine, I tell him. Random question to ask someone but okay. “You go to that school across the street,” he asks, meaning FIT. “No, I graduated already,” I told him.

He continues to make small talk. He asks where I’m from, where I live now, how long I’ve been in New York, and I tell him, but I don’t give him my name. “It ain’t a crime to give out your name,” he says, smiling, finally. He does have teeth but the two front ones are crooked, all of them are yellow.

What’s your sign, he asks, still not giving up. “Aquarius,” I say wishing this train would hurry the heck up. “I should have known, aquarius’ are strong,” he said. Oh yeah, astrologer, is that so? This is the second time in three days a man has called me strong, isn’t it funny the things we give off that we don’t see ourselves?

“I’m going to give you one piece of advice–because I clearly want advice from this man–and then I’ll leave you alone, Little Bit. Really? Nicknames, sir? “All that glitters ain’t gold,” he says and backs away. Duh, sir, I find myself saying out loud. “Everyone knows that.” “Nah, it’s more than that,” he said. “You think the only people that can do something for you are the ones who are dressed all nice, but that ain’t always the case Little Bit,” he said. “Remember that.”

The 1 train finally comes and I move down some to make sure I get on a different car than the one he’s about to get on. “Take care,” he shouts. “Next time, I see you, I’m going to ask you out!”

Yall. I think this man just schooled me. What’s that story in the Bible about the angel disguised as a poor man? Is that what happened here? Is this a sign? Or just a drunk who wanted to get all philosophical and kill time with a friendly face?

Because after he said that, I felt horrible for outwardly showing him I didn’t want to breathe the same air. Don’t leave me out here alone, have yall ever done this?