Public Enemy's Fight the Power
video directed by Spike Lee
so... there was this bike shop on Capital Hill... down by the Eastern Market
a block away from the Eastern Market on 7th Street
next to the rug store
the rug store that has expanded to Woven History
but before Mehmet expanded his rug store from a skinny row house to a skinny row house plus a double wide row house
yes... before that
before that 315 7Th Street was a Big Wheel Bikes
http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/search?q=big+wheel+bikes
http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/search?q=sendar
well... I was the manager of this little mom and pop bicycle shop
well... I was the manager.... the mechanic.... head of sales... and security
security?
Eastern Market was a little rougher back then
not as rough as the surrounding areas, yet rougher just the same
all of DC was rougher then
rougher and more gritty
the world was less polished
there was not as much Anywhere USA in DC at this time
well... back to my point as I restart this video so the song Fight the Power plays as I blog
so at this point in them during this part of the year
more than likely not the high season
as during the busy months there HAD TO BE 2 PEOPLE
two people under payed and under appreciated
two people would easily still qualify as under staffed
understaffed... underpaid... and over worked
and of course
completely unappreciated
a fun yet moderately unhealthy work environment
so I was this one man band in a sleepy shop that was the red headed step child of a mom and pop shop with one owner who had a multitude of locations; Georgetown, Bethesda, and Old Town Alexandria
two more shops exist now and the Old Town story may lose out to development in the short future
back to the story
a story that is more build up than substance
so I am working the shop doing that one man band thing
I have a 15 mm wrench in one hand and a cordless telephone in the other
fax scrolling in at the register... fax? yes... fax
when I see a guy get out of his car right out front the shop
with a quick glance I notice it is Chuck D
CHUCK D FROM PUBLIC ENEMY?
yes... recently transplanted DC resident Chuck D has parked out front the shop
some time passes and I have gone from one repair to another
maybe a sale... or groundwork on a sale
and of course answering the phone
as this was pre-computer/pre-internet the phone calls came in all the time
people let their fingers do the walking... it was a snap
so I am on the phone.... wearing various cycling caps
jumping back between mechanic and sales person
then of course having to work the role of security
as expected it happens... Chuck D returns to his car
but of course I am juggling the tasks of this and that
so I step out the front door as he is getting in his car
he stalls a quarter in the car with one leg still on the ground
then exits the car back to a standing position
not having anything to say really I just give him a polite nod of affirmation
like a mental "yo Chuck D... I know who you are... respect... "
and Chuck gave me the same nod back
which was way better than running up and saying Mr. D... Mr. D.... can I have your autograph
very cool...
Public Enemy was a big part of music and culture in their day
it was ground breaking
it was powerful
it was influential
Fight the Power on the Wiki Page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight_the_Power
gotta roll... I just got paged!