11.1.08
Yesterday as I was walking I got asked directions. This was very odd. It's similar to asking an Indian woman in a sari how to get to the Burrito Spot in Santa Fe: chances for success are slim. But for some reason an auto drove up beside me, presumably aware of my white skin and foreign dress as a significant part of being an auto driver is visual capacity, and the man in the back asked "this is Shastri Nagar?" This is like driving up to someone in the Bay Area and asking "this is Oakland?" Well, it turns out this person was just lost enough for an aloof foreigner to actually help them out. I responded "no, this is Besant Nagar." Which is like saying "no, you're in Berkeley buddy." The guy seemed to value my answer, and they drove off with a wag of the head.
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2 comments:
Ari, you made your story very accessible to me. Having spent a great deal of time living in Berkeley, I am also familiar with Oakland and its proximity to Berkeley.
Also, well done on the successful directional advice. A utilitarian might say that by quickly correcting the lost traveler, you increased overall communal (perhaps even global) welfare at very little expense to yourself. Indeed, a positive net output.
this 'scott.' what a funny dude.
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