4th
The sights are out.
Or rather, in Prospect Park, BK today, both in the space of a minute:
Unicyclist: wearing an iPod and a “Kashi” t-shirt. I’ve seen this same guy having an on-wheel phone conversation. On the uphill even. Amazingly, bareheaded.
Bicyclist: a white mustachioed senior citizen, about 6’ 5”, wearing a pith helmet. His ride had the following features:
- Sound system (I believe it was a John Philip Sousa march playing)
- Super-patriotic-sized (3’x5’) American flag, rear-mounted
- Warning sign: “Caution: Bleeding-heart Liberal On-board” (also rear-mounted)
- A wide berth
Then, on board the Q-train in Manhattan: a saxophonist from another planet. This was his claim. He needed Earth currency to purchase parts for his spaceship, which is apparently in a state of disrepair. In the meantime, he regaled riders with a fortissimo, barely recognizable rendition of Autumn in New York (clearly, the seasons on his home world are different from our own). “If you pay me, I’ll stop playing.”
I have been watching for this guy ever since he was described to me about fifteen years ago. Still kickin. Still stuck on Earth. I gave him what I had—which was not nearly enough, considering the price of halfway-decent dilithium crystals on the open market. Am I right?!
