Ugh! Why did I say that?

Saturday night I went to a concert in DC. Priscilla Ahn. As you know, I'm a huge Ingrid Michaelson groupie, but I have to say that Priscilla has the purest, most beautiful/organic sound I've ever heard live. Her voice has a sort of ethereal quality that transcends what you hear on the CD. But enough about that, this blog is not about her. The blog is about what happened after Priscilla and I parted ways.

So, it's late night. I'm in the metro. Alone. I have a twenty minute wait for the next train. I see a security guard waiting as well, so I sit by him. Will he protect me if things get rough at Metro Center? Probs not, but women are comforted by fantasies. Anyway, I'm sitting there in imaginary safety when two young men who may or may not be of the thug variety sit next to me. One on each side. I am sandwiched between potential thugs. And then my security guard suddenly catches a blue line train (I'm waiting for orange), and I'm left alone with them. My initial thought: I will now be robbed or harassed. Or both. Le sigh.

Like one minute after security guard leaves one of the guys says: "I like your hair." I say "thank you" politely and resume staring off into space (I dare not pretend to play on my phone as that increases the odds of it being stolen...in my mind). He doesn't say anything for another 2-3 minutes, then this happens:

Potential Thug 1: I was gonna ask you for your number, but I think maybe you think I'm too young for you.
Me: I'm definitely too old for you. I'm pretty sure your mom would slap me if I dated you.
Potential Thug 1: How old are you?
Me: (never so happy to admit this) 31
Thug 1 and 2: (gasp) What? I would have never guessed that.
Thug 2: Yeah, I would say like 27 at most.

Usually, it's about this time--once the old hag reality sinks in--that youngsters go away. But instead of hitting on me, they have now turned to me for life advice.

Thug 1: So, what kind of advice would you have for someone my age? You know life advice.

 I was shocked. For two reasons,

1. Did he really just ask me that? Clearly, this is not your garden variety thug. Most likely not a thug at all. I profiled him based on the way he was dressed.
2. My answers. My answers made me feel like the oldest person on this planet. I said all the cliched things I heard when I was younger: "Stay in school" "Be safe" (in regards to sexual practices). Ahhh! I'm 50! Very practical, yet, in hindsight I felt like I told him all the wrong things. 

♫See you at the metro...so you won't be lonely.♫

First off, he'd already given up on school in his pursuit of a rap career. Which I can't hate on completely b/c what if Jay-Z, Nas, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and so many others had given up? So, we talked a little about back-up plans and what not. Practical.

Second, I don't know about safety, but he was already on his way to meet a girl for drinks who, as he put it, was "pressed" and that he had her mind messed up... He said he often gives a girl a compliment, like "I like your hair" and then he's silent. He says the silence messes up their minds. Whaaa? I was confused by that, so I just talked about being nice to girls and more about safety and responsibility. Practical.

But...where was my come-to-Jesus speech? Honestly, it never even crossed my mind. Is that normal? Abnormal? Do we only talk as the Lord leads us, or should our first inclination be to hit them with scriptures?

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

- Colossians 4:5,6

I spent 15 minutes in the train station and then 30 minutes on the train (they were going where I was going), having a lively discussion with these two young men. Yet, I doubt that from the viewpoint of Christ I made the "best use of the time." Why? I don't know. I have to think more about the cause-and-effect of the entire situation. Nothing bad happened. We didn't have a bad talk. I would say, we had a good talk...but at no point was it a god talk either. I'm not like wretchedly convicted or crying my eyes out over here, but next time, I want to be prepared to make better use of the time. At the very least, it'd make for a crazier story. 

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. - 2 Timothy 4:2

If I could do it all over again, and someone said: "what kind of advice would you have for someone my age?" I could tell them that the best thing they could ever do is to develop a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. And then just be silent. 

The silence...it messes with their minds.