not-so-nice policeman…but a very nice tea
Maybe it was the ice cream that gave me a sick stomach. Well, the ice cream that followed the tea sandwiches. That followed the almond cookie. And the chocolate covered strawberry. And the scone with the lemon curd. And the tiramisu. And the cream puff. And the endless chai tea. Oh, and the glass of their sweetest champagne…
Where did I experience this decadent deliciousness, you may wonder? Only while having tea at the Taj Hotel, here at Boston’s finest:
Emily invited me to be her guest at this tea–and she was the guest of the director of PR for the Taj, Karen, who had attended our opening night party here in Boston. Anyway, it was a lovely time, complete with a true-blue harpist playing sweet melodies to soften the sounds of our fine china, though goodness knows we tried to be gentle with it.
It was so very nice, so beautiful and peaceful.
Which helped to offset the totally poor excuse for a policeman that I had the misfortune of coming across on the way to the Taj.
See, I don’t know if you realize it, but apparently God was debating another flood today–at least, that’s what it seemed like here in Boston. It was raining, really really hard. I had about 5 and a half miles to go, so I tried to hail a taxi, but they were all full (apparently everyone else had that idea, too).
Anyway, I was walking in the pouring rain and driving winds, trying to find the subway station, but couldn’t. As luck would have it, I found a policeman, on-duty and walking towards his parked car. I shouted through the elements, Excuse me, Sir? At my simple, innocent request that policeman didn’t stop, didn’t even grace me with a glance, but proceeded to quick-time it as he yelled over his shoulder, I’m going to my car!!!
Well yes, I could see that he was rushing to the warmth and dryness of his parked and waiting car (the car was on the sidewalk, mind you–so he didn’t need to hurry to move it or anything; it wasn’t blocking anyone in), but I had a very quick question for him, so I decided to double my effort and I followed him, umbrella in hand. I just have a question…I yelled as he nimbly jumped into his car, and was about to slam the door shut to the wailing storm that was our backdrop and oh yeah, also to me, the citizen that he had sworn to serve and protect and all that.
This policeman still didn’t look at me, certainly didn’t consider that I might be in a plight that he could kindly fix and simply said in an irritated voice, Make it quick! Well, this guy was batting a thousand with me, and though I’d really have liked to call him out on his rudeness or not be beholden to him for an answer to my question, the truth of the matter was that I was freezing, wet, cold, and unable to find the subway station. I needed him. UGH!!! How I hated that I needed him, but I did.
In the kindest voice I could muster, I said, I just need to find the subway station…With a quick roll of his eyes and with the most condescending, exasperated tone of voice, he unfurled his arm in the direction of the station, and said, It’s right there! as if I had asked him where my own head was or something.
I said thank you, and hoped to never need his version of “help” again.
I cannot think of any word that I can write on this blog that is fitting for him. Use your imagination… Feel free to get creative, please. He was a real piece of work, that’s for sure.
Luckily, I had that beautiful tea waiting for me at the other end of that encounter…
