Ocean City Strangeness
There’s something about me that makes people feel comfortable to just walk up and start talking. I’ve met a lot of interesting people because of this. This is kind of long but fairly strange.
I often walk the OC boardwalk during the summer. I decided to go tonight and play cheap pinball and eat delicious Polish water ice. Near the Wonderland Pier they’re in the process of completing a beach reclamation project. There’s a huge pipe running down the beach, and at the end of the pipe is a large screen. Tons of water is being pumped into the screen causing a geyser type effect. Meanwhile, bulldozers and cranes are pushing sand and water all over the place. A bunch of people were watching the reclamation effort. I walked up to the rail and watched myself.
While standing there a Mexican guy on a bike rolled up next to me and said “hi.” His English wasn’t so good, but he started a conversation with me. I don’t remember exactly how he said some of the things he said, so just imagine a Spanish accent and broken English. It went like this:
Guy: (pointing to the geyser of water) lhadh fal sdhflsfkdshlfsdh
Me: I’m sorry?
Guy: lsdlfk jsldfjsl dfjlasfs
Me: (leaning in to try and hear better) I didn’t understand you.
Guy: ladjld sjfldjsl fjdslfjdsl fdlkj
Me: (still not understanding) I don’t know.
Guy: No, no.
We stood there watching the workers.
Guy: Smoke?
Me: Cigarettes? Yeah, you want one?
Guy: Yeah.
I gave him a ciggie and a lighter.
Guy: Thank you.
Continued watching.
Guy: I’m from Mexico.
Me: Oh yeah?
Guy: Now here.
Me: You’re living here now? Do you like it?
Guy: Yeah, yeah. I do landscape.
Me: What?
Guy: Landscape.
Me: Oh, you do landscaping. You must be busy now.
Guy: Yes, yes.
At this moment I start to turn with my hand out. I was going to introduce myself to him.
Guy: (looks right in my eyes) You’re Bill.
Me: What?
Guy: You’re Bill.
Me: How do you know my name?
Guy: Back.
Me: How do you know my name?
Guy: Miguel.
Me: You’re Miguel?
Miguel: Yes.
We shake hands.
Me: How do you know my name?
Miguel: Back. (He points to his backpack. I take a step back and look at it. There’s nothing strange about it)
Me: I don’t understand. How do you know my name?
Miguel laughed as if he didn’t understand.
Miguel: Thank you, I’m going now.
I shook his hand and he rode off.
Comments
What? Did he pickpocket you or something? Also, I have that same trait about talking to random people. Good things always seem to come from it.
Good things as in entertaining stories to tell?
You didn’t have a shirt on that said “Bill” or anything like that? He might have your wallet.
Good things in general. Like how we met a nice couple at our last hotel and got some useful info on places to go/see/do in italy.
Hahahaha, no shirt with Bill on it. And I thought pickpocket, too, but I have everything still.
Was your trip to Ocean City sponsored by Damon Lindelof?
A couple of possibilities:
1. You ate a restaurant prior to this encounter and skipped the check. They sent Miguel after you to muscle you into paying “your bill”.
2. You look exactly like Bill Murray and Miguel’s favorite movies back home are “Dia de Marmota” and “Fantasma-Arruinadores”.
3. Miguel was high on LSD and he thought you were a giant smoking duck. He pointed at “your bill” because he didn’t know how else to ask for a cigarette.
So after many discussions it was decided I either play soccer with this guy (not likely) or I just misunderstood what he was saying (duh). It would have been a lot cooler if he told me my future or something. Or told me I was Jason Bourne. But alas…
i thought the strangest part of the story was that a mexican guy did landscaping. am i alone on this one?
Maybe he looked at your back and meant to say “You’re built.”
Hmmm. Maybe. I am 90% studly.
All I ever see is Mexican guys doing landscaping. All over the place.