Wut?
At this unhelpful, unfriendly, and frankly uninterested response, I wince, inwardly; outwardly, I keep smiling in a non-threatening way. Standing far enough away from the window (opened in response to me waving my phone in what at best only vaguely communicated intent but surely communicated nothing threatening), anyway, standing far enough away that I would need a pikestaff (aka javelin, lance, spear) to threaten the guy (who had been lounging in the car’s passenger seat minding his own business on his own phone and who is now wearing an “Is there no peace?” expression), I maintain what I hope is a “We’re all friends here, right?” expression and try my question/request again almost word for word, betting that the problem wasn’t how I said it or how fast I said it but, rather, his surprise that I had said anything at all: His surprise at being accosted. Fair enough.
There’s a great reflection of this tree
(here, I gesture non-threateningly at the tree behind me)
in your car.
Do you mind if I take a photo of it?
I can see him considering whether “Wut?” will serve again. He decides not.
