Weird Experience

bigguy · May 2007

You know, you're right. From now on I'm not leaving the house without The Goonies and (a shaven) David Hasselhoff. It's just too risky.

cat · May 2007

Subject: Re: Weird Experience

I guess I don't get your apologetic nature to begin with. It has public businesses within it. I feel like people are so dominated by other people's "property." even the notion of property is an alien one but this is filled with businesses, not private homes. (i know... most people here think differently.)

my second question is ... why didn't you yell after him... like 'what's up?' when he just turned and walked away?

They can't arrest you for just walking on to a property if you didn't have malicious intent and if they can, well... speak up! while you're THERE. But note to you: next time, assert yourself. don't be so damn scared. it sounds to me like it IS public property. why are you tip toeing? why is everyone so darn freaked out and tip toeing and not questioning things? I'm sorry. but it's making me really question our society. Too many people will just not say anything when things are just *wrong.*

I'm sorry you had this experience. I've been in that area many times and never noticed this but am now curious to check out where it is and what's up there.

BigGuy wrote: Had something weird happen yesterday. I was out walking and ended up going by the old canning factory at 3rd av & 3rd st. I've been there before for rooftop films in the summer, and I know there are art studios etc. in the space.

Anyway, the metal gate that leads into the interior courtyard was open so I walked in to check it out. It seemed sorta open to the public - there are entrances to various workspaces inside the courtyard including a neon sign shop. There was an alley going towards the back and I started walking down it.

As I'm doing so a guy comes out of the real estate office and asks if he can help me. I said something very similar to "I'm sorry, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be here but I love the space and just wanted to check it out." He turns around without a word and goes into the office.

I figure that's not a great sign and that maybe I'm really not supposed to be there. So I start meandering back towards the entrance. As I do so, I hear some noises behind me. He's outside doing something and all of a sudden the metal gate starts going down, trapping me inside the courtyard.

So all of a sudden I'm in the Temple of Doom and wondering WWIJD? Fortunately the gate is slow as hell and I get out just by jogging a little. WTF? I guess I must have been trespassing - though you would think that people are coming in all the time to check out the space etc. And there seem to be shops and studios that are open to the public. I'm not really sure what the hell was going on there, but I assume he was trying to trap me in order to get the cops over. What ever happened to asking someone to leave?

rose · May 2007

Subject: Re: Weird Experience

cat wrote: But note to you: next time, assert yourself. don't be so damn scared. it sounds to me like it IS public property. why are you tip toeing? why is everyone so darn freaked out and tip toeing and not questioning things? I'm sorry. but it's making me really question our society. Too many people will just not say anything when things are just *wrong.*

Are you for real?

We all have to choose our battles in this world. I appreciated BigGuy's telling of this strange story and do not also require him to fight all the injustice in the world at every opportunity.

laura · May 2007

Subject: Re: Weird Experience

Rose wrote: We all have to choose our battles in this world. I appreciated BigGuy's telling of this strange story and do not also require him to fight all the injustice in the world at every opportunity.

Besides, when something completely unexpected happens to you - whether it's getting smacked on the ass by a kid on the street, or knocked upside the head by a kid on the street, or having some guy act strangely and try to close a gate on you - I think it's human nature to be stunned and not able to react "properly".

shishkab · May 2007

actually, i think BG acted very appropriately -- he got the hell out of dodge when the gates began to come down rather than stick around for lord only knows what may have happened next. that isn't a sign of fear, that's a sign of GOOD SENSE.

bigguy · May 2007

Cat, I understand what you're saying but I disagree with a lot of it. First, while I admit that private property is a foreign concept in the natural world, I accept the convention as it applies to human interactions. And I'm not sure if the place is in fact filled with businesses - most of it looks like studio space, and I'm not sure how public it is really.

As far as asking him what was going on, I would have had to yell the question over my shoulder as I was running (jogging) towards the exit, and would have had to listen for the answer in the same way.

As far as "speaking up", this is totally armchair warriorhood (no disrespect to AW). I had a few seconds to make a choice: leave or allow some dude to lock me and himself in some industrial courtyard. I've played way too many video games to not know the right answer to that one.

laura · May 2007

shishkab wrote: actually, i think BG acted very appropriately -- he got the hell out of dodge when the gates began to come down rather than stick around for lord only knows what may have happened next. that isn't a sign of fear, that's a sign of GOOD SENSE.

Well yes, I agree with you actually. I just know I tend to second-guess my actions afterwards and think, hey, I should have spoken up! Or whatever.

laura · May 2007

BigGuy wrote: I had a few seconds to make a choice: leave or allow some to dude lock me and himself in some industrial courtyard. I've played way too many video games to not know the right answer to that one.

Hahaha ... I don't know from video games, but again this story is too much like some nightmares I've had. :shock:

willregistersoon · May 2007

I don't think that the concept of private property is a human phenomanon. Just watch Animal Planet for a few hours and that will be obvious.

laura · May 2007

willregistersoon wrote: I don't think that the concept of private property is a human phenomanon. Just watch Animal Planet for a few hours and that will be obvious.

Or live with cats ... in my old apartment, Lucinda claimed the top of the refrigerator and Aubrey was NOT ALLOWED. When I moved to my current place, Aubrey very quickly claimed the new fridge space and Lucinda was out of luck.

brooklynpotter · May 2007

BigGuy wrote: And I'm not sure if the place is in fact filled with businesses - most of it looks like studio space, and I'm not sure how public it is really.

knowing exactly where you were, and some of the actual people who have spaces in that building, you had every right to get the hell out of there right quick. trust me on this.

raw · May 2007

We should all go on a BigGuy adventure. If we survive and don't go to prison, we'll have some great stories to tell.

laura · May 2007

raw wrote: We should all go on a BigGuy adventure. If we survive and don't go to prison, we'll have some great stories to tell.

Hey, this could be a whole new urban Outward Bound enterprise!

shishkab · May 2007

the urban adventures of BigGuy!

drabrabbit · May 2007

There are a few urban exploring groups. Dark Passages is a really cool one. I went to a talk by one of the members and she told the story of a full black tie dinner they staged on an abondoned subway platform.

quigley · May 2007

I've played way too many video games to not know the right answer to that one.

Ha! God of War immediately comes to mind... Any moment there were going to be scary demon guys throwing fire at you!

cat · May 2007

Subject: okay...

I consider "studio space" business. It's commercial vs. a home. but okay...

I guess it's just a totally weird situation and I didn't mean to come down on *you* per se but it seemed emblematic of other things that trouble me. That being said, I understand you felt your survival was at stake. I just think it's better to not act like you're doing something wrong when you're not - you didn't have intent, you had curiousity. I understand the running, the not asking 'what's up' or whatever in the context you presented it.

I appreciate your response. It IS very strange.

I am curious about it. Maybe you could find someone who does have a studio there and email them and find out what the deal is. Or maybe chalk it up to weird NYC experience.

BigGuy wrote: Cat, I understand what you're saying but I disagree with a lot of it. First, while I admit that private property is a foreign concept in the natural world, I accept the convention as it applies to human interactions. And I'm not sure if the place is in fact filled with businesses - most of it looks like studio space, and I'm not sure how public it is really.

As far as asking him what was going on, I would have had to yell the question over my shoulder as I was running (jogging) towards the exit, and would have had to listen for the answer in the same way.

As far as "speaking up", this is totally armchair warriorhood (no disrespect to AW). I had a few seconds to make a choice: leave or allow some dude to lock me and himself in some industrial courtyard. I've played way too many video games to not know the right answer to that one.

filmlover44 · May 2007

I'd like to know the name of this real estate office so that I can stay away from them!

Weird Experience

Comments

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories