I rode my bike through East Jordan, Mich., a couple years ago on the DALMAC, and ever since noticed East Jordan Iron Works on a lot of the manhole covers around Ann Arbor. I had no idea, though, that they are apparently nationally known in the manhole cover business.
Yesterday a fellow who claimed to be from Bryn Mawr hit me up for $2, saying he was in town for a doctor's appointment and someone booted his car. He had a parking ticket in his hand. He asked us if we were from around here, and we said no. I didn't think so, he said. People around here are mean, you notice that? City of Brotherly Love, more like City of Brotherly Shove! Even other black people won't talk to me. I don't know if his story was true or not, but his was good-humored and something in his words rang true. I gave him $2—as