I was a heckler today in this park. A carpet salesman, to be exact, apprenticed to a true smarmy cajoling master of the trade. He snared me, not to buy carpets, but to talk, with the bait of a boy from the hostel saying hi and his 'we're not trying to sell you anything' henceforth to always be recognized as a lie. Disarmingly good english in teh salted-hair man, and the hostel boy looking as Vancouver as possible, just happens to be the owner of the hostel, just happens to think I could work well with him for the summer, and not unwillingly I start walking with them. (You're tired of the heckling? You're not doing much right now? Walk around wth us, no one will bother you...) The accent decent, the sentences that little choppy I associate wtih indian speakers. THis friendly man proved to me he could and did spot Americans a mile away by stopping a few girls - they remain just a short example in someone's story here, odd.
He stopped a group of tourists - Americans really do have horribly taste in jackets - with the alarming phrase 'Are you a born-again?" I would die of embarassment to ask, and possibly smack the speaker if asked, but the 50ish science-teacherish evidently didn't mind the approach - although he wasn't. Warm casual but directed conversation, brought around easily to "You should buy rugs while you're here... I could give you a few tips..." but an easy retreat at some percieved Real disinclination to buy. The ability to know when someone is seakening, when you have a chance to push your agenda through, would be a mixed blessing. All knowledge useful, the ability to manipulation others more consciously a bit alarming and distasteful. Crazy idealistic idea of merit speaking for itself....
Cats here are vermin. Enough caption and explanation, maybe more later.
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