The Jase Chase

Thursday, March 31, 2005

Bored No More

This is what happens when you're bored at work with a stapler...

Just kidding!

Excited is more like it. In 4 hours, I will on a plane headed for Ft. Lauderdale. So here's tomorrow's post, today! (Lucky you!)

I'll be dreaming of you all while I sunbathe in the glorious Florida sun. Have a wonderful weekend! Ya'll behave now... that way, at least one of us will. ;)

7 Train Journey

Here's a story of one man's journey when a situation unexpectedly blocks a main artery of New York City's public transportation system.

I quietly sat on a local 7 train enjoying a breakfast sandwich about to lose myself in today's edition of Metro. The express 7 train line had recently gone under construction and knowing when they run is always guesswork. Today, there would be no express trains. Since I had woken up early in expectation of these delays, I wasn't worried; I would still make it on time to work taking the local train. Read more [+/-]

As I was finishing my sandwich, a beep came from the loudspeakers then a voice overlay with static, "Due to an emergency situation at 40th street, there is no Manhattan-bound 7 train service from Main St."

Excuse me?

Reading my thoughts, the voice repeated, "There is NO Manhattan-bound 7 train service from Main St."

I was in disbelief. I looked up from my paper and saw that other riders shared the same feelings. "You have got to be kidding me", I thought. "This is the only train to and from Main St.!"

Without an alternative, hundreds, if not thousands, of commuters flooded back into the underground tunnels. I quickly gathered my bags and followed the masses. After fruitlessly trying to find someone for information, I decided the best solution was to take a bus to another subway line; the E and F was the closest.

As I boarded the bus that would eventually add an hour and a half to my commute, I watched as Roosevelt Ave and Main St. fill with early morning commuters - confusion, disorientation, and frustration on their faces. Many were on cell phones, probably calling in late for work. Or, maybe because half of the Main St. commuters don't speak English, they were calling someone who does trying to make sense of it all.

I watched their faces as the bus pulled away and wondered how many people would be affected by this; a thousand, maybe two. Each one with their own story. I wondered how I would tell mine.

Now I wonder why wasn't there a quicker alternative.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Always a Friend, Never the Best (Part Three)

Part One, Two

High school freshman year was a blur. My days were routine and living in my emotional bubble, I didn't take initiative to be social. In addition to hiding my heart, I had a bigger secret to hide: I liked boys. With this revelation, I placed my need to be special on the back burner; I had to survive high school. Read more [+/-]

I used to believe that the eyes were the doors to your soul. If someone looked into my eyes long enough, they would discover all my secrets. When I spoke to someone, I would avoid looking them straight in the eye; perhaps that's why my freshman year was a blur. And perhaps that's why I remember the interior of the school so well. It wasn't very interesting, by the way.

After the friendship between G. and I ended, I didn't make any friends for a while. I avoided the Asian crowd like the plague. The smart ones were too smart and easy pickin's for ridicule. The cool ones intimidated me, not to mention "cliquey". They would only hang out with other Asians, even though the other two-thirds of the school was Black and Latino (white and 'other' made up 10%); boring carbon copies of each other. Fine, I might have been a little jealous.

To be different, I sought the company of the other two-thirds, befriending an amazing group of Latinos. This is when I learned a lot about Hispanic culture - such as you don't want to mistake a Dominican for a Puerto Rican or vice versa - including how to salsa and merenge. Having Michael, Janet, and Madonna as idols back in the day turned out to be beneficial. I was known in my 'clique' as Chino-Latino, and later 'Jase'. Plus, I got mAd ProPz (Those unfamiliar with that term, it means 'a lot of proper respect' - Thanks Greg!)

During the course of the next three years, I became a lot more social and outgoing; it was hard not to be when you're around the loudest people in the lunchroom, classroom, mall, movie theater, on the street, etc (in a good way of course). I also learned that I could still hide my sexuality while developing my social side. My friends didn't care to find out. I was practically an expert at faking straight, it was easy to let the other facets of my personality shine through. To them I was the Asian Sensation who can dance and pronounce the spanish rolling 'R', and that was good enough. All the hot mamitas adored me, guys didn't question that.

After graduation, I lost touch with most of them. Not surprisingly, none of them chose to attend the same college as I did (I was the only one out of the group that took AP Calculus and Physics). Thinking back, I wonder if I chose them as my friends because I thought it would be easy to leave them. I know I still had trouble letting people get close to me, so it was in the back of my mind that I shouldn't let our friendship get too deep; it makes it easier to move on.

I didn't let it get to me, I was moving away for college! Dorming, I would be in a new place, with new friends, and a new life. By myself. Again. But this time it would be different; I would take the self-confidence I've learned from my amazing Latino friends with me. This time, it will be easy to make new friends.

This time, I will be able to develop deep, lasting friendships... right?