Call me old school but Ive never given up on cds. Yes, I own an iPod nano - sleek black piece of 2 gig goodness, but I just cant live without my cd player: bulky, complicated, forever-skipping, 10 song playing cd player.
If you think that's bad wait til you see my headphones. They're of the 80s walkman variety - don't remember? Im talking about the fit over the crown of your head, bad-hair-day-giving, self-adjusting, ear-muff-look-alike headphones. (Don't send help -- Im ok with all this.) The biggest problem with headphones like these is wear and tear. The headphones are crap --- they break every other Tuesday.
The real problem, however, is finding replacements in center city within walking distance of the hospital. Ever since I moved to the city there is one place Ive always gone because the headphones are dirt cheap, about $2.99. Earlier I blogged about this place and how I freaked out (and almost outed a hospital employee) when I realized the store is actually a dirty video store (Im not sure you can call it porn, but I will for the sake of simplicity) and the electronic stuff in the front of the store is actually a front to seem legit.
I'm in a crunch one day, strapped for cash and incapable of boarding my train without something to listen to to drown out all the voices in my head, so I decide to go back to said store, swearing to myself it'll be the last time. Yeah, I realize every warm-blooded American has made this same statement at one point in his life -- or every Tuesday. :P
Most shady places have patrons that wish to keep a low profile, so how is it when I walk in -- Franky -- I'll call him Franky cuz it's just the sleaziest name I can come up with and seriously this guy looks it -- calls me out to his partner, and one shopper in the back looks up to notice too?
Franky: Heyyyyyy, beautiful! Its one of my regulars.
Now mind you, I was BORN yesterday so I dont put all of this together until the very end: the shady place, me -- the regular customer...
Me: Im hooked, literally (laughing alone at my weak pun). I feel like I live here, but they broke again. I need a new pair.
...and my admission of my guilt in public! Good job, TBG, really. I dont need others to start rumors about me -- I do great on my own.
As Im walking out, HEAD DOWN/BROWN ambiguous plastic bag in hand, I see the unmistakable teal green swath of fabric in sneakers. OMG OMG OMG -- scrubs!? -- the sneakers were turned away from me so I mustered up some courage to look up -- HEY if rumors get started Id like to have a face to go with them right?
Please let it be some random white guy, please let it be some random white guy. And then my heart stops as I take in slicked back, jet black hair.
Ugh. Thats all I need in the new year -- some desi guy thinking I have an addiction.
DAMN FRANKY!