Yesterday was standing on the platform two depths below the sidewalk- at the 4th Street Subway station. The days past had made an extremely long and difficult week. The plan today was to travel to the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, with a friend. As I stood there waiting, I watched a youngish man go from selected person to the next selected person – panhandling. I figured I was on his list and sure enough, he shows up in my personal space. He gives me a softly delivered story about something. I caught not one word. When he had finished his two paragraphs, he stopped. As I said nothing, he started again. I looked him right in the eye and with the accompanying dismissing hand gesture said, “I don’t speak English”.