The Wisdom of a Random Black Guy on the Streets

[Black_Eagle]

Today after I stepped off the bus, I walked down the road a bit and prepared to J-walk on to the other side and make my way toward Subway. As I stood there waiting for the traffic to clear, a black man approached me from my left said, "What can I do to be just like you?"
Slightly confused at this odd black man suddenly approaching me and asking me such a question so casually, I responded, "Uhhhh, I don't know."
"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know? Man, I wanna be JUST like you."
"You can cross this road right here."
"Cross this road?"
"Yeah, you can cross this road."
"Man, you a coward. Don't be criticizing people you don't know." And with that he stepped on to the road just as an oncoming car whooshed by. There was no middle lane on this road, and he had just stepped into oncoming traffic as he made his way half way across. He stood in the middle of the road watching the cluster of cars passing him by. I was compelled to follow him so I stepped out on to the road only to be driven back by the traffic. Finally, after traffic was clear in the oncoming lane, I proceeded to make my crossing. The man also proceeded when he found a window. He looked back at me over his shoulder, his view blocked momentarily by another passing vehicle and called, "That's how you do it!"

On the other side of this road was a Randalls Grocery Store. This man was carrying a Randalls grocery bag, so evidently he had come from that very same direction. What his purpose was, I have not a clue.

The confidence and spontaneity of this man is inspiring. Indeed he was correct. I am a coward. Lately I've been noticing many little things about myself that truly illustrate my introverted nature. Throughout my life, I have sought very little. Decisions such as going into JROTC, and switching schools were indeed mine, but that's just the basic outline of my life. I have not been able to manage the things that fill that outline such as my social life and hobbies. These things have always come to me with little or no effort. This is bad seeing as I'd go long periods interacting very little both with my environment and the people around me (like the state I'm in now). My greatest flaw is that I do not know how to start anything, I only know how to proceed with a task. It's the initiation process that I just can't seem to get a grip on.

Quite a profound random event if you ask me.

[Catbus]

Cool story br... Actually that is a really cool story.

[DeepBlue]

Could take it as a sign about yourself. Thanks for sharing.

[Bayside]

Very insightful indeed. Interesting.... I wish things like this happened to me.

[Black_Eagle]

Ever since I started riding my bike around the neighborhood walking the streets alone, I've witnessed all sorts of odd stuff.

[Carôusoul]

"you a coward. Don't be criticizing people you don't know"

I smell irony.

[Serkat]

Putting your own and other people's lives in jeopardy for no fucking reason is "wisdom"? All I can infer from this thread is that there is a profound lack of intelligent interactions in your life or you wouldn't confuse a lunatic for a sage.

Did the man by any chance look like this?

XWBFVoZWNSs

[Black_Eagle]

Putting your own and other people's lives in jeopardy for no fucking reason is "wisdom"? All I can infer from this thread is that there is a profound lack of intelligent interactions in your life or you wouldn't confuse a lunatic for a sage.

Did the man by any chance look like this?



You're missing the point. It wasn't as dangerous as you seem to have perceived it. To me, however, it was dangerous. The man wasn't in any real danger . He just did things in a way I would not have had the courage to do myself. I'm not really saying the man himself was intelligent or a "sage", but the things he said and did gave me some insight.

[Ne-yo]

Putting your own and other people's lives in jeopardy for no fucking reason is "wisdom"? All I can infer from this thread is that there is a profound lack of intelligent interactions in your life or you wouldn't confuse a lunatic for a sage.

You obvioulsy lack intelligent understanding of what Black_Eagle was indicating. The moral of this story is simple, it's not about intelligence, however the concept is intelligent, when you factor in the true nature of what has transpired with him. It's about a thing called "self-assurace" and the ability to take a chance and step out of your comfort-zone and make things happen in your life. It's not hard to understand when you stop looking at things in a negative light and open your mind up a little.

[dylanshmai]

"you a coward. Don't be criticizing people you don't know"

I smell irony.

yeah, and is it me, or does this story sound like a bunch of bs? Sounds way to inspired by a dream, and a little to unbelievable and cliche.

[Carôusoul]

yeah, and is it me, or does this story sound like a bunch of bs? Sounds way to inspired by a dream, and a little to unbelievable and cliche.

I think thats just you.


It sounds pretty reasonable to me.

[grasshoppa]

I think thats just you.


It sounds pretty reasonable to me.

other day, I walked around a corner as saw a girl drop her pants to take a pee but she pulled them up when she saw me. I had to walk by her tying to hold in a big ass grin on my face...I didnt walk right by her, but close enough...

sweet random event eh?

[Carôusoul]

other day, I walked around a corner as saw a girl drop her pants to take a pee but she pulled them up when she saw me. I had to walk by her tying to hold in a big ass grin on my face...I didnt walk right by her, but close enough...

sweet random event eh?

How old 0.o

[Serkat]

You're missing the point. It wasn't as dangerous as you seem to have perceived it. To me, however, it was dangerous. The man wasn't in any real danger . He just did things in a way I would not have had the courage to do myself. I'm not really saying the man himself was intelligent or a "sage", but the things he said and did gave me some insight.
You obvioulsy lack intelligent understanding of what Black_Eagle was indicating. The moral of this story is simple, it's not about intelligence, however the concept is intelligent, when you factor in the true nature of what has transpired with him. It's about a thing called "self-assurace" and the ability to take a chance and step out of your comfort-zone and make things happen in your life. It's not hard to understand when you stop looking at things in a negative light and open your mind up a little.
That's absolutely ridiculous. If a man crossing a street is the philosophical highlight of your week, perhaps you should start surrounding yourself with some books or something because your life is clearly devoid of any meaningful content. If a random stranger calling you a "coward" makes you question your personality and entire life maybe you could use some more self-criticism in your day to day life.

If he wasn't in any real danger then why did you devote a whole paragraph to laying out how he was standing in the middle of an active lane? Clearly you're making the point that Mr. He-Man is awesome because he has no regard for his fellow car-driving citizens.

[Carôusoul]

That's absolutely ridiculous. If a man crossing a street is the philosophical highlight of your week, perhaps you should start surrounding yourself with some books or something because your life is clearly devoid of any meaningful content. If a random stranger calling you a "coward" makes you question your personality and entire life maybe you could use some more self-criticism in your day to day life.

If he wasn't in any real danger then why did you devote a whole paragraph to laying out how he was standing in the middle of an active lane? Clearly you're making the point that Mr. He-Man is awesome because he has no regard for his fellow car-driving citizens.

Lets be fair, something like this is bound to have more a profound affect than say reading a point, or arguing to it. Although I find the message of this whole affair rather empty, nonetheless I think there is certainly something valuable to take from an experience like this, and it can't be entirely disregarded as 'dumb'.

[Omnis Dei]

That's absolutely ridiculous. If a man crossing a street is the philosophical highlight of your week, perhaps you should start surrounding yourself with some books or something because your life is clearly devoid of any meaningful content. If a random stranger calling you a "coward" makes you question your personality and entire life maybe you could use some more self-criticism in your day to day life.

If he wasn't in any real danger then why did you devote a whole paragraph to laying out how he was standing in the middle of an active lane? Clearly you're making the point that Mr. He-Man is awesome because he has no regard for his fellow car-driving citizens.

Obviously books are a much better experience than... experience.

Way to criticize someone for telling us about something personally significant. Maybe if you paid a little attention to the world you'd see meaningful moments dont need to come in the form of aliens arriving through portals to tell you the meaning of life. Contrarily, usually the greatest lessons in life are hidden in our most subtle interactions.

Seriously, good job proving your superiority by rating the value of other people's experiences. Next time I ever wonder if something meaningful happened to me, I'll come to you first.

You're awesome.

[Serkat]

Obviously books are a much better experience than... experience.

Way to criticize someone for telling us about something personally significant. Maybe if you paid a little attention to the world you'd see meaningful moments dont need to come in the form of aliens arriving through portals to tell you the meaning of life. Contrarily, usually the greatest lessons in life are hidden in our most subtle interactions.

Seriously, good job proving your superiority by rating the value of other people's experiences. Next time I ever wonder if something meaningful happened to me, I'll come to you first.

You're awesome.I think he is using irony to convey a message here.

Also, read thread title.

[dylanshmai]

other day, I walked around a corner as saw a girl drop her pants to take a pee but she pulled them up when she saw me. I had to walk by her tying to hold in a big ass grin on my face...I didnt walk right by her, but close enough...

sweet random event eh?

haha, reminds me of cuzco, peru...its pretty common to see a homeless guy in the middle of a busy street start jacking off. Human shits are more common though in the church gardens though.

[ClouD]

Keep it on-topic please guys.

[Omnis Dei]

haha, reminds me of cuzco, peru...its pretty common to see a homeless guy in the middle of a busy street start jacking off. Human shits are more common though in the church gardens though.

That was not my experience at all in Cuzco.

[dylanshmai]

I only saw one homeless guy doing it, I'm not saying it was very common, but keep in mind that he was doing this just a half mile away from the central square where all the tourists flawk too. Now, if you wander a couple miles outward, its very common, thats where the tourists don't go (where all the real poverty is)

Cuzco is truely an ugly place to be. The tourists think they are seeing things that are authentic and cultural, but the church at the main square is completely fake (at least everything that they showcase to you inside).

I had to fight of a gang of girls who were trying to mug me and my friends at night (no joke). You would have to be crazy stupid to enjoy a place like that, but if you travel just over the mountains, its beautiful and authentic, until you reach the next town, but a few towns later it gets better.

[Serkat]

haha, reminds me of cuzco, peru...its pretty common to see a homeless guy in the middle of a busy street start jacking off. Human shits are more common though in the church gardens though.
The name Cusco is derived from the Quechua phrase "qusqu wanka" which means "rock of the owl".lold