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| The shopping center was built on the Tanforan Park racetrack. |
Lured by $5-7 lunch prices, young families line up at the food kiosks. The crowd is noisy, young, and working class, reflective of a suburban shopping center that has Sears, J.C. Penney, and Target as anchor stores.
It's a world away from the tony Peninsula country clubs that are just up the hill.
Since high school, I've acquired the ability to tune out ambient noise and focus on the book or video display in front of my nose.
Of course, one man's focus is another man's obliviousness. My wallet had fallen out of my pants pocket and was under a chair. The bus "boy"--actually a guy who was about 40--pointed it out to me, then hustled away to clean tables, empty garbage cans, and sweep the floors.
I glanced at him periodically over the next hour. He was always rushing about, pouring his energy into a job that likely didn't deserve him. I thought about how much trouble he saved me because I had not lost my wallet stuffed with credit, debit, and membership cards, not to mention my driver's license.
I walked up to him and slipped him a twenty. Initially he wouldn't take it, but I insisted. It was a win-win for both of us, and I got the better end. © 2012 Stephen Yuen
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