More New York Rude
June 3, 2008, 3:26 pm
Posted by Margaret O'Brien Steinfels
John McGreevy posted about New Yorker’s reputation for being rude. The discussion has been friendly and far-flung. Here:
http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/?p=2030
The discussion continues: In today’s NYT, we have two takes on really, really rude and what happens when you are really, really, really rude.
Here is the jury’s comments on a gym grunter silenced by a fellow exerciser.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/nyregion/03spin.htmlref=nyregion
And here is Clyde Haberman with further reflections:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/nyregion/03nyc.html?ref=nyregion
Jean Raber will never visit now. Alas.
So this is typical of New york already?
Oy Vey!
It’s not unheard of. Typical? Probably only of the East Side and of Wall Street Brokers and/or as Clyde Haberman says “alph males with beta brain.”
One time I went to a coffee joint in Lansing with a bunch of my girlfriends and there was this loudmouth day-trader type in a suit who set up his laptop, phone, notebooks at the table next to us who proceeded to make high-powered business calls in a loud and self-important tone.
We saw this pretty much as free theater, turned our chairs around to watch the drama unfold, commented on his activities, started imitating him, and wisecracking on his communication style amongst ourselves. Pretty soon the other cafe patrons got into the spirit of it, and the guy realized he had an audience and left. To our applause.
Pile-driving a guy talking to his muscles on a stationary bike seems downright counter-productive when you think of the entertainment value in it. Why, an inducement like that might ALMOST persuade me to set aside my hatred of crowds, pigeons and the discomforts of all modes of travel.
But not quite. I’d rather just stay here in the sticks playing euchre.
Might you have a mission to teach euchre to New Yorkers? Played with a deck (or two) of cards I assume. I could find some.
It’s played with four people (though you can play a very unsatisfying two-handed version or a highly confusing three-handed version with a dummy hand called “Uncle Charlie”), half a deck of cards, and a case of Carling Black Label.
The University of Chicago’s Department of Athletics and Physical Education has euchre rules (I’m not kidding!), but being a highbrow bunch, they don’t have any of the colorful terms, rule variations and coded table-talk that really makes the game a superior cultural experience.
http://athletics.uchicago.edu/campus/euchre/rules.htm
OK, enough of me and and my obscure card games!
Jean, next time you’re in Lapeer, would you drop in on my Uncle Don for a game? At my grandmother’s wake, when he went out on the porch to smoke I played his hand with my back to the window so he could knock on the glass and tell me no, not that card.
If he’s not at home he’s either at the Knights of Columbus or adoration or most likely helping out at the food pantry. I don’t think he golfs as much anymore, so a cutthroat game of cards with a certified hustler would probably be just what the doctor ordered.
(He might win.)
As it happens, my wife and i will be in NYC in a couple of weeks. If any of you New Yawkahs want to get together, ping me off-line.
Go White Sox!