Would you follow this man?
'Tis the season! I live a few blocks away from Times Square, which means A) You can't get near my house on New Year's Eve, B) Roughly every third person seems to be visiting from Texas and C) The Scientologists are out in full force. They set up shop all along 42nd Street offering free "stress tests" during rush hour, crowding the (already overstuffed) sidewalks. (Quick aside: In New York they offer "stress" tests; in LA they're "personality" tests. Can't say the Scientologists don't know their audience.) Frankly I've never understood why a New Yorker would want to take a stress test; I know exactly how much stress I'm under. But I never fail to see at least one poor sucker strapped into their makeshift lie-detector test or being forced to listen to a hard-sell over a copy of Dianetics. I walked past the tables a few days ago just in time to hear this little pep talk:"So TODAY we have something REALLY COOL! We're having a CONTEST to see who can sell 30 BOOKS! Isn't that FUN!?!"
Oh yeah. Fun.
I cannot tell a lie - I've maybe been tempted to stop and take the test (just for the story-telling possibilities, I swear) but frankly, I'm a little weak minded. I just know that somehow they'd worm their way into my brain and I'd be rendered incapable of mockery.
posted by Ali @ 9:09 AM
4 Comments:
Well, I've heard if you really want to make it as an actor, playing Scientologist for a stretch might help fast track you. You could be a new actor Cruise signs under United Artists. When you are wearing $3,000 panties, you may not even care we worry about your belief in aliens.
By the way, am I the only blogger who has trouble making out the verification words when trying to post a comment these days? Maybe I need one of those stress tests. There are times when I don't see letters at all. It's like spaghetti on a plate.
Trust me, you are not alone. Sometimes it takes me so many tries that the computer takes pity on me and gives me the easy-to-read block letters. For which I am grateful.
He looks a little like Jon Lovitz to me.
I still haven't forgiven them for taking Jason Lee away from us.
Post a Comment
<< Home