A 4/20 Encounter

Walking around the city earlier tonight, I was randomly approached by a red-eyed young man.

"Hey, man, can you spare me like, a dollar or two?" he says.

"No, sorry, I only have card on me." I lie, but that usually deters beggars.

"Oh, man, listen, can we just go to that McDonald's and get some food? I'm REALLY hungry, you know, cause it's 4/20, it's a national holiday."

I pause, smirking, and eventually agree to his request for two reasons:

1) I've been watching a lot of Breaking Bad lately, so I have a heightened empathy for stoners. This guy even looked a bit like Jesse, though obviously not as handsome.

2) I was pretty hungry myself, having not had a proper dinner, and didn't feel like eating alone. I figure, what the hell, let's have a meal with this dude and make a new friend.

"Alright. Let's go." I say. He thanks me, and tells me that if I also want to celebrate the national holiday, I should go to 'Square Washington Square Park' where everyone is celebrating. He goes on to tell me about how he's from Detroit, and that he's a gypsy, a drifter, and that's he going to California soon because there's a girl there who claims her kid is his, cause it looks like him, so he's gonna go and see what's up.

We reach the McDonald's and stand in line, at which point he starts repeating that 4/20 is a national holiday, and that I should go to Square Washington Park, and that he's a drifter, and that he's from Detroit, and that he's going to Cali. I begin to realize he's far too blasted to be an interesting dinner mate, and is probably not that interesting in general. I also don't feel like having fast food. After he orders, I pay the cashier without getting anything myself. He doesn't notice, being too busy pulling his shirt over his head to show everyone a Detroit tattoo on his back.

"What's your name, brother?" I ask.

"Justin. But people call me Detroit."

"Detroit Justin. I'm Jackie. Take it easy, man." I shake his hand and leave.

It cost me 5 bucks, but I'm hoping so badly that when he sobers up, he'll have a vague recollection of Jackie Chan buying him a meal at McDonald's.