well I survived St Paul's St Patrick day and ran the drunken gauntlet
from the Landmark Center to where I parked my car - about 12 blocks
I think and I was verbally assaulted by over a dozen men and a couple
drunken women on this walk. I knew it was coming but I was surprised
how vindictive it was -I mean I'm a middle aged person dressed in a
jean skirt just above my knees, a green blouse, and wedges
it really wan't provocative, I think I actually handled it really well -
I kept walking, a steady even stride, I didn't alter my course one bit,
I didn't change my pace one bit, I didn't look at them or acknowledge
them one bit, I just kept my hand on my purse, my eyes ahead of me
and while I was prepared to react if one of these drunks did try to
physically assault me , I really honestly felt no urge to respond back,
which I realize is not because I'm a pacifist (which is what I used to think
as a guy when someone provoked me and I didn't provoke them back)
no, it's not that I'm a pacifist -I was very aware of what these drunken
men where doing and I wasn't responding because I was looking to
remove myself from the situation if I could and if I couldn't and
the guy came up to me I was going to knee him in the balls if I had
to defend myself - I'm pretty sure kneeing a guy in the balls is not pacifism
-but I first and foremost wanted to walk out of the situation with my
dignity in tact and I did - I honestly felt I carried myself with the decorum
of a lady,and the way I acted showed exactly how idiotic and wrong
they were, I acted like a woman and I acted with class.
But that was in the afternoon war zone that is the drunken idiocy
of the St Paul St Patricks Day and while next time I'll be sure to
bring a can of pepper spray, I did have a good time before this
walk and I knew it was going to be bad - I just really didn't think
there was this level of rampant transphobia and homophobia in
St Paul. I'm kind of shocked really.
Actually during the Parade the Mayor St Paul came over near where
I was standing and smiled and nodded directly to me - and to think
a few hours later I'm walking down the street in broad day light
fearing for my safety. But it is St Paul after all and I am probably
overstating the danger I was in, let's be honest the only thing a drunk
is really good at is pissing on his own shoes and they didn't
physically confront me
The parade was fun and the people around me were nice and I caught
a green beaded necklace a guy threw to me (oh very athletic!)
and so that was fun and really the parade is fine -there are women
and children and it's a safe fun place to be but I really wanted to go
to the Landmark Center after where they hold Irish music and dance
festivities, and because I'm poor I ended up parking on the street a
away from the parade and even further than I realized from the Landmark
Center -like I said about 12 blocks and it really wasn't prudent on
my part but why shouldn't I be able to walk down the street in the
middle of the day like any other person?
I saw a fairly good group play some Irish tunes and then watched a really
fun performance of an Irish Dance School and the girls (and a few young
men) were really good and it was very fun watching the excitement and
energy and fun they were having - I wanted to stay but it was getting towards
3 o'clock and I was concerned that the longer I waited the more dangerous
the walk back to my car would be, so three o'clock was reasonably
safe but who knows by 5 o clock they're probably stringing up any
remaining queens in St Paul on this Holy night
which I plan to celebrate by drinking a few beers, screw it.
I did fine under the circumstances.
No comments:
Post a Comment