Diamond in Rough

I am learning to think of my apartment, which lies in an uncouth area of Brooklyn, as a dimanond in the rough. In the twice-daily sprint between its rickety door and the subway, I've not been mugged once.

But I was shouted at by a man in a car recently. Foolishly, I went in the direction of the shout. This was around 3am, and small animals had dominion of the street. The man at the wheel wound his windows down. He was a Hasidic Jew, dressed in full get-up.

"You from here?" he asked.

God damn isn't New York the place that anyone makes it? "Yes, I am" I said.

"Speak Yiddish?", he asked.

"No I don't."

"Ah-ha. My English not so good. I in Williamsburg?"

"No. Williamsburg is that way" I suggested, with an approximate arm-thrust.

"Ah-ha. Listen to me." I leant closer. He whispered now. "I want somewhere where - where, you know, I have good time."

Good time? On moral or epicurean grounds, I had no idea of what he spoke. "What do you mean by good time?" I imagined to myself, with what imagination endured at this stage of the nights, of what this state could comprise. "Drinking, dancing?"

I prayed to God it wasn't the whore-fucking.

"Ah-ha. I want place, a bar. Understand, I am from very religious family, in Israel, I am not allowed to have good time." He looked downcast. "Which I want", he added reasonably, despondently.

"Well look, Williamsburg's got lots of bars. Like Galapogas" He cut me off. -"Yes, yes, but understand - I am from religious family. Is this place only Jewish?"

"No no, there are people of all kinds there."

"I see," he interjescted. "Women?" Now we were getting to the meat of the matter. "Yes, women have been known."

He looked delighted, then suddenly cut by a sharp implement. "Ah-ha. Then I cannot go. I need men only. If the family would find out..."

My patience was wearing thin. "Okay", I said, and thought of a standard name for a male bar, no easy task. "Go to Clive's. Same direction."

He looked at me. "Is only men?" "Only men."

"Is gay bar?"

I nodded, and he depressed his foot on the accelerator. God speed him-