But what, I don't know, makes a girl

In Wednesday's adventures...

#1: BUY SOMEONE A LEMONADE. Submitted by a dry cleaner in the East Village.

After one watermelon and one lemonade, I've come to the conclusion that giving free things to New Yorkers is one of the hardest things in the world. But for meeting interesting people, it's pure gold.

(Person 1, an old lady on 8th street, east village)
Me: Would you like a lemonade?
Spinster: No! I would not! I don't know you from Adam!

(Person 2, skinny hipster, 11th street)
Me: I'd like to get you a lemonade.
Him: Excuse me?
Me: Would you like a lemonade?
Him: Are you flirting with me?
Me: No!
Him: Good, because I like boys.
Me: So...do you want a lemonade?
Him: It burns my throat. But thank you.

(Person 3, teenage boy with thin, mousy moustache, St. Marks)
Me: Would you like a lemonade?
Him: A lemonade? Are you gonna make me join your church or somethin'?
Me: No, I just want to get you a lemonade. You look thirsty.
Him: Um...OK.
Me: OK, wait here.
(rushing to return from deli)
One refreshing Snapple lemonade. And I got you some M&Ms too.
Him: Cool! Ah, I don't have anything to give you!
Me: (laughing) That's OK!
Him: I'll probably see you around here again sometime, and I'll buy you, like, a taco or something.

#2: GO TO THE PARK AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYIN'. Submitted by an elderly gentleman, nicknamed Mr. Key, (as in Key Food grocery store) on 5th Avenue, Brooklyn.

As I was wandering around the area anyway, I went to Union Square Park to see what the people are talking about. There was a certain ominous feeling in the air, due mostly to a very loud, heated arguement about democracy occuring behind me. What about democracy was being argued was unclear. Only snatches of the conversation would come through, very loudly, including "I'M TALKING ABOUT _DEMOCRACY_!", "THAT'S NOT DEMOCRACY! YOU ARE CRAAAAAAAZY!" and "YOU'RE ONLY ALIVE BECAUSE OF DEMOCRACY!" This arguement impacted greatly on what the other people in the park were saying. Many cell phone conversations went something like this:

Girl: Yeah, so that's my right, right? I can ask him where he was and who he's with. Yeah. I KNOW! Uh-huh. Oh damn, the people behind me are fighting! Ha ha ha! They're so loud! They're like, screaming and turning purple!

In the section of benches I was sitting in, reading, with about 10 other people, also reading, there was a feeling of danger in the air. One guy turned to me and said, "Democracy has never been so loud!"

But for others, the fight was just background noise, if they even noticed at all. A man sitting across the path from me was absorbed in his book, and in eating a giant slice of pizza with the other hand. Every few minutes he would slap the book on his knee, roll his eyes and say something sarcastic, like "Yeah, RIGHT." Despite repeated attempts, including pretending to tie my shoes and drop my book, I couldn't get a good look at exactly what book he was so sarcastic about.

And for some, the park was just a chance to enjoy summer. A girl who looked about six, walking by with a man who was likely her father said, "I got a Mr. Softee cone today, I had a playdate and outside, it's hot. I'm so happy I could jump over a skyscraper."