THE BUY GUY

I Saw him around Waikiki and noticed he didn't speak much to anyone. First interaction was at Hyatt on the Beach. He walked by me and put 5.00 dollars on the ground in front of where I was standing and proceeded into the mensroom. I tucked it under a root so it wouldn't blow away and waited for him to retrieve it. When he left the restroom and didn't pick up the money, I thought this was a curious thing to do.

Next, I began seeing him at the library. On the third occasion he was sitting on the landing when I left, after closing. He was apparently talking to himself, so not to intrude, I continued to load my bags on my cart and walk away.

The next time I saw him at the concession he was speaking in a low voice but I could hear him saying, "I will help you any way I can, it's called being blessed."

I decided to feel him out, so I engaged him in conversation. He became quite provocative quickly. Saying that he thought white people are more intelligent than blacks and asking if I thought the same. I learned not to dismiss people too quickly, even when I don't agree with them, in hopes of finding out where they are going and/or coming from. I decided to agree with the buyguy and see where he took us. We spoke of his time in the military (U.S. ARMY) uh-oh, and my situation, among other things.

When the conversation turned to the internet, he told me of some ideas for making money in that medium.

Then he returned to his racial predisposition and said I shouldn't let people know I am black because I would be more successful, in that, people when finding out a webpage is created and run by black people don't trust the information. He also suggested that I not use Ebonics at the site or supply my name, if it were Amos or Tyrone.

Well, that didn't take long, did it? This can be accomplished, not being abrupt in ones dismissal of another, as I say, even when it is know at the onset, or closely thereafter, that two don't agree.

A lot of us know that the judgment of intelligence is more than academics or certification. There are people who test well but fail at practical application. Much also depends on who is being tested, where and by what standards. We also learned in the 60s that testing procedures and subject matter can be biased. If anyone is interested, there is a good book I read years ago about public education - Whitetown, USA - which was a very interesting report on the creation of public, private, and parochial schools in America.

Did he help me? Yes. Strange and varied conversations and meetings in HOMELESS life. Especially, when people come to know we are sometimes captive by our fatigue, surroundings we choose, or just plain boredom.

Many people use profane language. But are we to come to the end of the brother who left a moving vehicle because his brother was using this language?