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Senior Writer [∞]
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New York City....a neat moment
Apr 21, 2015, 2:48 PM
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As some of you know, took a weekend trip to NYC to get away for a bit. Because I am so outgoing I met a lot of people up there. I just shared this on my Facebook, and most of you won't like it or won't read it but I thought I would share anyway.
I know a lot of people hate New York City and say it has unfriendly people, etc. Sure, there are some people who don't wanna be bothered up there. But I don't meet strangers and I found out that people actually like to be engaged in conversations and are quick to smile when someone takes time out to speak with them. I have a writer's curiosity and I let people talk and find out interesting things. Like this......
When Nikki Hood and I were in NYC last year for the NIT we walked into Central Park and stopped for a group of street acrobats near the Bandshell in the middle of the park. It was a group of young black men and one Hispanic, and they had a routine that was very polished and it included jokes and sayings in an effort to put the crowd at ease. One young man didn't wear a shirt, and he told us it was because he didn't want people to think he was hiding a gun. They were fantastic, and we dropped some money in the hat and went on our way.
While we were walking in Central Park this past Saturday, that same group was there. Once they were done performing, the tourists and spectators moved on and two of the performers went over to a bench to catch their breath. Me being me, I went to talk to them. The one I remembered from last year was actually a little shocked that I would come over to talk - he is a young black man in a world where older white guys don't take a lot of interest in kids from the streets.
Turns out, it was my life that was changed.
He was very bright and articulate, and as we talked a story began to spring forth. He grew up and lives on the mean streets of the Bronx, and said that being a street acrobat is something that has been passed down for generations. His uncles did it. His dad did it. His grandfather did it. Every day. these kids take the D train in from the Bronx and perform in Central Park for the crowds. It's tough work, and it's even tougher for a group of young minorities who are trying to overcome social boundaries. He said that living on the hardscrabble streets in the Bronx makes them tough, but he said it also makes him realize he doesn't want his kids growing up there. And then he told me something even better...
He doesn't eat a lot, and saves all of the money he makes. Why? Because this 19-year old kid has saved up almost enough money to open up a studio in the Bronx to teach the little kids how to be acrobats. How to get out of the Bronx. How to live a better life.
"I see so many little kids I want to help," he said. "I want to open it up and keep it open all hours of the day, and help these kids stay away from the drugs and from the gangs. I want to give them a family. It's why I come out here and jump and do my thing for 16 or 17 hours. I want those kids to off the streets and doing something with their lives. This is all I know how to do, and it's all I can give them. But I will give them everything I have."
For a few special moments, two people from very different backgrounds bridged a gap. Young and older. Black and white. Guess which one was touched?
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Ring of Honor [26353]
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You get any contact info
Apr 21, 2015, 2:58 PM
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in case some people want to help out with his dream of helping others?
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Senior Writer [∞]
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Re: You get any contact info
Apr 21, 2015, 3:02 PM
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I went over to tell Nikki about it and turned around he was gone. But I want to go back up there at some point in the next few months and I am gonna find out. I would like to see him succeed.
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Ring of Honor [26353]
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Please do so if you have a chance to.***
Apr 21, 2015, 3:04 PM
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Orange Blooded [3881]
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thanks for sharing, you just never know what to expect from
Apr 21, 2015, 3:03 PM
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this old world and when. Blessings come from any and every angle so you better be ready to receive them.
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Head Coach [751]
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Re: thanks for sharing, you just never know what to expect from
Apr 21, 2015, 3:28 PM
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I loved the story! I appreciate the diversion from the Dark Territory! Thanks for sharing.
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All-In [38427]
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Re: thanks for sharing, you just never know what to expect from
Apr 21, 2015, 3:39 PM
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I live on a rugboat in NYC for 20 days every month. Being the captain on a tug in the second busiest harbor in America I do not get to interact with many locals for long periods of time , but there are occasions.
For instance I spend a lot of my time grocery/supply shopping in stores around Staten Island and Brooklyn , and I have felt some good vibes from people , although it is more often that one is completely ignored or passed over. It seems like the disconnect in this urban jungle may stem from sheer numbers and the fact that outside of schoolmates , coworkers and the surrounding blocks you just don't really know anyone.
Saying hello to someone in Staten Island on the street is more likely to be met with a blank stare than a hello back , and that is fine. Brooklyn is a little younger and hipper . In areas like Red Hook and Williamsburg you meet a lot of talkative , interested folks on the street . It has that youthful thread running through it that SI lacks.
I have met just as many kind and personable people as I have the not-so's and I have been working up here since July of 2012 .
NYC traffic is a beast , no love lost there , but overall it is just not that ugly of a place .
It isn't Charleston , but it ain't Columbia either.
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Letterman [282]
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Re: New York City....a neat moment
Apr 21, 2015, 3:04 PM
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I was also in NYC over the weekend. Several times people came up to us and asked if we needed help, etc. On the subways, people would gladly answer questions we had regarding navigation, etc. pleasant experience, especially in Harlem. That area has really upgraded over the past 10 years. The shade is still a tad darker than my lilly white skin, but you see families and business people and broadway actors mostly. Good restaurants abound now.
I still couldn't live there, but a great place to visit.
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All-In [27374]
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Re: New York City....a neat moment
Apr 21, 2015, 3:09 PM
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I bet that kid could put you onto a basketball player who could turn Clemson BB around!
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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great story dhood, thanks for sharing.***
Apr 21, 2015, 3:11 PM
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CU Guru [1427]
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Re: New York City....a neat moment
Apr 21, 2015, 3:16 PM
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"Most of you won't like it" I don't understand that comment. Why would you assume most of us wouldn't like this? It's a very nice story.
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Senior Writer [∞]
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Re: New York City....a neat moment
Apr 21, 2015, 3:21 PM
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Cause I can't even get 27 likes on Facebook...lol...if it isn't football they just skim over it.
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Ring of Honor [26353]
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I bet you could get more likes if
Apr 21, 2015, 3:23 PM
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Nikki was the one to post it
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Heisman Winner [140523]
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.... and things were going so well in this thread.***
Apr 21, 2015, 3:25 PM
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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i wonder if lens logs him onto tigernet in the morning
Apr 21, 2015, 3:31 PM
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so we can babysit him until she gets home from work?
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Ring of Honor [26353]
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If that's the case
Apr 21, 2015, 3:34 PM
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I'm gonna contact DSS for neglect and abuse
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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you hoping they can give lens some pointers
Apr 21, 2015, 3:37 PM
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on the sechtsual abuse?
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Ring of Honor [26353]
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Re: you hoping they can give lens some pointers
Apr 21, 2015, 3:41 PM
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Only if they have it in pamphlet format
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All-In [26322]
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Great story David....saw responses from the R.A.G.
Apr 21, 2015, 4:06 PM
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thought they would ruin it.
They tried...gotta give 'em that. They recruited fm for a while, and now I'm wondering if we should've grey-shirted him.
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Legend [19352]
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Re: Great story David....saw responses from the R.A.G.
Apr 21, 2015, 4:08 PM
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All-In [26322]
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Done went all "Ice Cube" on me....
Apr 21, 2015, 4:18 PM
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See, I told you David....stay away from these mofos.
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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All-In [26322]
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bob ruined him...***
Apr 21, 2015, 4:19 PM
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Legend [19352]
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Re: bob ruined him...***
Apr 21, 2015, 4:20 PM
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TMI
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All-In [26322]
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No sucha thang....***
Apr 21, 2015, 4:21 PM
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Heisman Winner [140523]
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Two questions:
Apr 21, 2015, 4:26 PM
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1) What is R.A.G.? I missed that one.
2) How did I get pulled into this?
Thanks,
Francis
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Oculus Spirit [96850]
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Heisman Winner [140523]
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lol, how did I miss that.***
Apr 21, 2015, 4:38 PM
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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he bumped his head.***
Apr 21, 2015, 4:39 PM
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Heisman Winner [108390]
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CU Medallion [67841]
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Re: New York City....a neat moment
Apr 21, 2015, 4:48 PM
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Great keep us posted.
I just hope Nikki Hood never finds out about Nikki Steele or you're in big trouble. 
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Team Captain [490]
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Re: New York City....a neat moment
Apr 21, 2015, 5:00 PM
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Great story. New York gets a bad rap. I have found people in the city to be very charming, friendly and incredibly interesting. Tourists that go in with fear because of what they see on TV or read on the news are the ones missing out. Of course there are problems, it is a city of over 8 million people. I tend to be more frightened walking the streets of downtown Columbia :}
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CU Medallion [67841]
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Re: New York City....a neat moment
Apr 21, 2015, 5:30 PM
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Great keep us posted.
I just hope Nikki Hood never finds out about Nikki Steele or you're in big trouble.
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Orange Blooded [4403]
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Great story....people who will not go there and spew
Apr 21, 2015, 6:03 PM
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Negativity about the City are comical to me.....the more they talk, the more they tell on themselves....good on you for talking to that young man. He may have touched your life but I guarantee you you touched his too. We love to think that we are so different because of region, culture, etc., but if you get out of comfort zones and communicate with people and travel you realize how similar we basically are. I hear the same ignorance about living in Cali by choice and it is comical. 99% of the time it comes from folks who have never been anywhere and get their opinions from TV or what they have heard from other ignorant slugs.
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Heisman Winner [112363]
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I love NYC and always run into Clemson people...........
Apr 21, 2015, 6:20 PM
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Great to be on Broadway, 42nd St. etc and all of a sudden hear GO TIGERS.
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Orange Blooded [4757]
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I bet you could probably find these folks on the interwebs
Apr 22, 2015, 8:24 AM
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with a little bit of digging. If they're every day, surely they've been mentioned on youtube a couple times or have a facebook page set up.
As for NYC, I love the place. It takes some getting used to, but I've found that by and large the people there are super-nice. They don't have as much patience as we southerners would prefer, and it's actually weird for them to have random strangers smile or say hello as we tend to do down here. They think it borders on rude to be like that, whereas southerners think the complete opposite. But it doesn't mean they're unfriendly. I've always had a great time in NYC.
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Orange Blooded [3820]
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funny....neither of you felt the need to talk about building
Apr 22, 2015, 12:12 PM
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names....
what were you thinking?
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