Ah, Boston

[gnomi]

(I wanted to post part of this a couple of days ago, but Mr. LJ was uncooperative.)

-- Between Sunday and Monday, I gave a bunch of tourists directions. I helped folks from Kansas (no indication of city) and Detroit, plus some people on State St. near the Old State House who didn't indicate where they were visiting from. They, however, confused me at first by asking for directions to the capitol. What can I say? We locals refer to it as the State House, and I was still pre-breakfast.

-- At 4:30 PM on Tuesday, the Green Line D train I was on derailed. "Switch problems, they said. Ten minutes later they told us we had to get out of the train (we had not quite pulled into Kenmore). There was a Red Sox home game on Tuesday night, so cabs were plentiful. And I even got home in time to relieve the babysitter.

-- I've seen a *lot* of touristy people around my new place of employment. That makes sense, given that I work between the Old State House and the Customs House (which is now a hotel). Yesterday, in front of the T stop entrance at Government Center, three people were standing hunched around a map. "Can I help you?" I asked (I always ask confused-looking people if I can help them find places; it frequently means, when I'm sitting in Park St. station waiting for someone, that I end up giving directions on how to get from the Inbound side to the Outbound side ("Go down these stairs, turn left, go up the next set of stairs, and you'll be in the right place). "Can you tell us how to find Faneuil Hall?" they asked. "See that big brick building?" I asked, pointing. They nodded. "That's Faneuil Hall."

Comments

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

"See that big brick building?" I asked, pointing.

I once had to do the same thing with South Station. "Yes, right there, the big brown building across the street."

(Of course, with South Station, you then need to ask if they're looking for the subway, the train, or the bus, 'cause otherwise they're going to wander around looking puzzled. But still.)

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Or get stuck by the Fort Point Post Office, and then they'll never catch the conveyance of their choice on time.

[madknits.livejournal.com]

I often find myself giving foreigners directions.

Did they pronounce it "Fan-you-ill", rather than "Fannel"?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Fan-you-ill. So few people know the "Fannel" pronunciation. It saddens me.

[madknits.livejournal.com]

I always say something like, with a smile, "The locals pronounce it 'Fannel', which is part of our strange Boston accent." That usually gets a chuckle.

[autotruezone.livejournal.com]

hmm. I hear "Fannel" a fair bit, but it seems to me that I've more often heard it pronounced "Fanyəl" -- with a definite "y" sound, but not as exaggerated as the touristy "fan-you-ill" pronunciation.

[mercurysparkle.livejournal.com]

I miss that about working in downtown Boston. I actually like to see the tourists and day-trippers. Even when hopelessly lost, they are a pretty happy bunch of people. Newton corner is full of over stressed and/or moody professionals or cranky lost drivers.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I love helping tourists. Otherwise I wouldn't do it. And I like giving a cheerful smile to people, so that they aren't left with the idea that all Bostonians are surly.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

tourists: can you tell us where faneuil hall is?
gnomi: *points across the street*
tourists: *lightbulb* ohhh.

heh. a couple months after i moved to boston i gave some people directions to the train they wanted in park street station, and then i really felt like a local.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I love that "I *know* where that is!" feeling. It does foster a feeling of belonging.

And I get confused sometimes in the labyrinthine streets of the Financial District, but I'm already learning my way around.

[aunt-becca.livejournal.com]

I heard about the dereailment. Glad everyone's okay.
I like helping toursists, too. When I was in grad school, especially during baseball season, you'd see so many people walking around with maps and confused looks on their faces! Someone asked me where the library was- we were standing right in front of it :) They were horrified. I laughed it off.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when we're very close to (or in front of) the landmark being sought, I try to give directions in the most gentle way possible ("The entrance is right over there!" or somesuch). Someone earlier this week was trying to find the Freedom Trail right by the Boston Massacre memorial, but in their defense the road construction has obliterated some of the red painted line in that area.