In New York, one of the free morning papers is called amNewYork. There's a guy at the Bellmore LIRR station who gives them out, offering them with "am in the AM?" (I don't know if he actually would capitalize that second "AM", but allow me some latitude. His presentation is strictly verbal.) :)
When I started commuting, I took it some days and passed on others. I already have the "newspaper of record" with me every day, but I sometimes took a look anyhow. After several weeks of seeing this man, I find myself taking his paper more and more often.
I do this to myself. I started thinking, "look at how happy he is when someone takes one," or "He looks like he's lived a hard life. How does it hurt me to just take one?"
Actually, he does look like life has been rough. He has that look of someone who has seen a rough 70 years but is only 50 years old.
amNewYork isn't too bad, but it's hardly worth carrying with me when I already have the Times. Besides, they use cheap ink that rubs off all over my fingers. But I just feel so guilty, if I say "no, thanks" to this poor man.
Am I silly or what?
2 comments:
I think it's sweet. The ink thing would bother me, too, but you can always wash your hands when you get to work. :)
No, you're not silly.
I just made a new resolution, and that is I'm going to start taking one of every flyer that someone tries to hand me on the street and say "Thank you!" even if it's for a topless bar, ballroom dancing, or Hadassah. Those flyers are never useful, but what a horrible job those poor people have, as people rush past them silently glaring "Get out of my way." That's a rough day. So I'm just going to take a stupid flyer and thank them like they've just given me $100.
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