PIMPIN' AIN'T EASY!!
A guy got on my bus today that I call "Pimpin' ". Not to his face, of course. It's just my lil' nickname for him.
Back in the mid-1980's, he was a pimp. For real. He was into the same thing all the pimps on Hennepin avenue were into....Snake, gator or some kind of skin of their feet. Shoes were the big thing. Had to have skins or you were a Po' pimp. The reason I know all this is simple. I used to go to one of the worst bars in town...Moby Dicks. It was smack dab in the middle of Hennepin avenue in downtown Minneapolis (now referred to as "block E"). I went there after working my office job. I was 18-19 years old (used my older sisters ID to get in). I would wait for my boyfriend to come in when he got off work and by then they would open up the back where the dance floor was and we'd dance all night. The drinks were also the strongest ones in town...Bonus.
Anyway, Pimpin' got on my bus and put some foreign coin in the farebox. I know he's doing REALLY bad nowadays so I just said "Hey, thanks. That could be collectible!" and gave him a transfer. He thanked me about 3-4 times.
A few months ago, I was waiting for a bus on Lake street to take me to uptown to do relief (take over a bus for another driver...He goes home and I start my day). Pimpin' saw me at the bus stop. I don't think he remembers me from Moby Dicks, but he does recognize me from being around south Minneapolis. He was looking like he does these days...The skin shoes are gone and have been replaced with some worn and tattered old tennis shoes that REALLY need a ride in a washing machine. His hair looks like it hasn't gotten any attention for a month or two and his clothes are a filthy mess. He came up to me and asked me for a cigarette. I told him I didn't have one. He then asked me for a dollar. I told him I don't give away money. I told him no one pays my bills but me. Then he cracked me up. He asked me for a TRANSFER!!!! Does he think bus drivers just carry transfers around?? Did I have a farebox attached to my back and not notice?
I had all I could do not to mention the obvious...Seeing how he used to be dressed to impress when he was literally living off the backs of young women and now that he's relying on himself to take care of himself...He's messed up! I REALLY wanted to say:
Pimpin' ain't easy, huh?
Back in the mid-1980's, he was a pimp. For real. He was into the same thing all the pimps on Hennepin avenue were into....Snake, gator or some kind of skin of their feet. Shoes were the big thing. Had to have skins or you were a Po' pimp. The reason I know all this is simple. I used to go to one of the worst bars in town...Moby Dicks. It was smack dab in the middle of Hennepin avenue in downtown Minneapolis (now referred to as "block E"). I went there after working my office job. I was 18-19 years old (used my older sisters ID to get in). I would wait for my boyfriend to come in when he got off work and by then they would open up the back where the dance floor was and we'd dance all night. The drinks were also the strongest ones in town...Bonus.
Anyway, Pimpin' got on my bus and put some foreign coin in the farebox. I know he's doing REALLY bad nowadays so I just said "Hey, thanks. That could be collectible!" and gave him a transfer. He thanked me about 3-4 times.
A few months ago, I was waiting for a bus on Lake street to take me to uptown to do relief (take over a bus for another driver...He goes home and I start my day). Pimpin' saw me at the bus stop. I don't think he remembers me from Moby Dicks, but he does recognize me from being around south Minneapolis. He was looking like he does these days...The skin shoes are gone and have been replaced with some worn and tattered old tennis shoes that REALLY need a ride in a washing machine. His hair looks like it hasn't gotten any attention for a month or two and his clothes are a filthy mess. He came up to me and asked me for a cigarette. I told him I didn't have one. He then asked me for a dollar. I told him I don't give away money. I told him no one pays my bills but me. Then he cracked me up. He asked me for a TRANSFER!!!! Does he think bus drivers just carry transfers around?? Did I have a farebox attached to my back and not notice?
I had all I could do not to mention the obvious...Seeing how he used to be dressed to impress when he was literally living off the backs of young women and now that he's relying on himself to take care of himself...He's messed up! I REALLY wanted to say:
Pimpin' ain't easy, huh?
posted by Jeanne Ree at 9:04 PM
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