\jeff{krimmel}

Ashamed But Not at the Same Time

Tonight after softball practice, Ariele took me to KFC to pick up some dinner for myself (she was having leftovers). When we pulled up to the restaurant, I got out so I could get in line while she parked the car. Very soon after I got in line, a man somewhat short of stature and wearing a Bluetooth cell phone ear piece came up to me and asked if I had a dollar. I thought it was an odd request, because given the seemingly clean Polo style shirt and blue jeans he was wearing, combined with the ear piece, I figured he was somewhat well-to-do. I definitely didn’t think he was a panhandler.

He sort of mumbled a bit when he asked me for a dollar, and only in hindsight do I realize he was probably drunk. I initially refused. But the shorts I was wearing didn’t have pockets, so I was holding my (front pocket) wallet in my hand. He could easily see I had cash in the bill fold portion of the wallet. He asked for eighty cents. I said fine, he could have a dollar. I pulled out the cash, and he saw the ten dollar bill wrapped around a five and a handful of ones. As I hand him the one dollar bill, he says, “Shit, man, you have like a hundred. Give me two dollars.” I gave a firm reply of “No.” “Come on, man, two dollars.” “No.”

The man then went to the front counter where a woman was paying for her food, and he asked in a very exasperated manner, “Ma’am, can you give me a dollar?” This woman was in absolutely no mood to get hassled, and he had already asked her for some money just as I was walking in the door. She basically yelled “No!” right at him, and he turned around and left the restaurant, saying something like, “Forget you! I don’t need your money.” He continued to mumble as he left the place.

Just as he was leaving the restaurant, I could see Ariele walking up toward the front door through the glass in the restaurant lobby. This man obviously saw her too and walked right up to her and asked for money. They had a brief conversation, and Ariele just walked around him, continuing toward the front doors. The man turned around and followed her back toward the restaurant.

And here’s where I kind of lost it. I don’t mind this dirtbag hassling me for money. But to go around pestering women for money, and then being openly belligerent when they refuse…that’s not cool. So when I saw it happen to my own girlfriend, and I saw the aggressive posture he was taking when he followed her toward the restaurant, I bolted from the line right through the front door.

Before I even said a word, he glanced up at me and made a bee-line for the intersection in the hope of crossing the street before I got to him. It was very clear he wanted no part of what he thought was about to happen. I yelled, “Hey! Leave her alone!”, and he just shot me a quick glance and muttered something underneath his breath as he went toward the intersection.

Here’s the part I’m a little ashamed of. I’m bigger than this guy, and it’s not really that close. So even though he was walking away, and he clearly was avoiding any physical altercation, I took a couple of quick steps as if I was going to follow him anyway and gave him a “F*ck you!” for good measure. That part was so unnecessary. I had already clearly scared him away from the place, and I was basically just putting on a show to let him know who was boss. It was pretty juvenile, but at the same time, as a grown man, you just don’t follow a woman with any hint of an intention of doing harm. It’s just not what you do.

And the real shame of this story? My days of going to KFC in Pasadena are likely numbered. Their service out here is demonstrably slower than I remember it being in Texas, and the clientele at the two nearest location are not particularly becoming. Add in some clowns like this guy, and it’s just not the worth the time and energy to go down there for a bucket of chicken. What a shame.