Bus stories 7

On the blue line platform yesterday at the Slauson station
Man 1, black, mid 50's, wearing an LAPD t shirt
Talking to man 2
Mexican, mid 50's, carrying a paper sack that probably held his lunch

Man 1: I aint givin' him none of my money.

Man 2: It's not for him, it's the church.

Man 1: But it's to him. I saw him on TV. You know he used to be living in his car and now he got that big ole church. Talkin' 'bout can yall pay $5.00 for the offering. That man don't need yo money. You see that big ole church?

Man 2: Yeah, but it's for tithe.

Man 1: I tell you like I tell my wife. You can give him yo money but he can't get my money. Think about it. Why you gon pay somebody to give you the word when you can just read the Bible at home for free?

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On the blue line two black women in their early 40's who seem to have just met are talking.

Woman 1: Here he come gittin' on the train again. I aint got no money to give to him. Everybody got a hustle. I wonder if he really blind. He always be on the train. Naw, I aint got it to give. I got kids I got to feed. I'm tryina git home now to git some food to cook for them.

Woman 2: Yeah he always be on here. I need my money. I'm finna go cook too.

Woman 1: That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. I don't even do nona that microwave shit.

Woman 2: That shit aint good for nobody. Really not for no kids. Plus it's too expensive.

Woman 1: Shol is. I buy some real food and cook it. Plus that last longer.

(they briefly ride in silence)

Woman 1: (pulls a shirt from a black plastic bag) Imma git me some pants to go with this.

Woman 2: That is a cute shirt. That's a real cute color.

Woman 1: Thank you. Yeah I like it. I needed to go 'head and git something for me for a change. You know?

Woman 2: Girl yeah. Where you git that?

Woman 1: From the Rainbow offa Rodeo. They got a lotta stuff on sale. Some stuff like fifty percent, forty percent. A lotta stuff.

Woman 2: Yeah I like them but I don't never go to that one. I used to go to the one offa Vernon but I don't go there no more.

Woman 1: Why?

Woman 2: Girl, one day I was up in there and three Mexicans came in there to rob the place. I was like, dang!

Woman 1: That happen to me one time at Ross. Me and my friend was up in there and two dudes came up in there. It was all daylight and shit like 3:00 or some shit and they was at the register. One lady at the register was too nervous to open the drawer and the other guy he was like, "Here, my life is worth more than this money." Shoot, I don't blame em.