A View from the Kiosk

Here's my view from the Kiosk for Saturday the 19th, 2017.

Once again, I worked the early shift and man..... was it hot. I felt like a rotisserie chicken slowing roasting in my little green oven. The only saving grace was the cooling band around my neck (Thank you Barb)

It was quite busy at the kiosk. And I had several very interesting interactions. I helped 285 people, chatted with about 100 and gave out around 150 maps.

Perhaps the weirdest event was some guy walking past me, making eye contact while on a beeline to three people sitting on the bench near my kiosk. He approached them and asked, “Do you know how to get to the Boathouse from here?” I am still a bit confused. Maybe he was hitting on them? Why didn’t he ask me? Oh well.........

In addition, there was a group of SUPER HOT firefighters who parked across the street, got out, had a picnic lunch, then drove off.

#1 best question: “Do you have eclipse glasses here?”

#2 best question: “Can I have a tissue?”

#3 best question: “Do you have a bandaid?” (usually do, but was out)

#4 best question: “Will you charge my phone for me?”

best question: “How do we get to the eternal flame?”

second best: “We have been searching for the big globe and can’t find it (showing me a picture of the Unisphere from the World’s Fair)” I told them that there is a little one at Columbus Circle, but what they were really looking for was in Flushing Meadow Park

third best: Long haired kid carrying an oversized skateboard. “Hey man! How’s it going? Do you know where I can get a cappuccino in the park?”

best interaction “Where’s McDonald’s?”

“On the East side, I think 3rd Avenue, let me google it for you” Okay, there are three, here are the locations, and there is another one on the West side at Broadway and 70th street”

“Why don’t they have any on 5th Avenue?

“5th avenue is for rich people, I’m sorry, there is no McDonald’s here”

Another good interaction was this:

“Can I have a free map?”

“Here you go, would you like me to show you where you are on the map?”

“No, dude, I know this is the Strawberry place” .....and walks away.

oddest question: context, if you look around, there are people sunning on every lawn.

“How do we get to the Great Lawn?” I show them on the map.

“Oh no, that’s too far. We want to sit in the sun. Is that the only place we are allowed”

why I am the worst kiosk volunteer:

For two years, I have been telling people they can rent bicycles at the Boathouse. I found out yesterday, that they haven’t been renting bikes for over two years...... to my defense, all my kiosk literature indicates that they do.

why I am the best kiosk volunteer:

I Google directions to make sure the trains are running and not on weekend schedule.

I offer to Google things I don’t know. For example, yesterday, a woman asked me if Summer Streets was on?

I throw maps at tourists who look like they are imitating hungry tilapia in the fish farm at feeding time.

I ask people who ride past my kiosk without dismounting if they would like a map that shows them where they are ALLOWED to ride

I let smokers know that if the police see them, they might be fined $50

I show up for my shift on time.

I smile most of the time.