The Chiness Cigarette Thrower

Leaving my apartment on Monday September 16, 2013 at about 3:30 PM to do errands, I saw a group of about 15 Chinese people. At first I thought they were Harvard University students traveling in packs as they are encouraged to do in the dangerous city of Cambridge MA. As I approached the corner two men from the group stopped and were talking. They stood next to a blue USPS mail drop box. One of the men was pointing to it. Was this a special sight for them? Did they not have drop boxes in China?

One of the men was smoking a cigarette. He put the cigarette out, but it still had a lit ash, in the platform of the drop box. Then the other man opened the door to the drop box and the smoker put the still lit cigarette into the mail box. I was shocked, and angry. I am one of those dinosaurs who still send letters and cards to friends and relatives. I use the USPS to deliver my rent check too.

I stopped to ask the man why he did that. As foreigners often do when uncomfortable,  he pretended not to understand. When visitors or illegal aliens are confronted with wrongdoing they pretend they do not speak English. Convenient. It is one of the many reasons why police do not arrest and detain illegal aliens when they are found breaking laws. Citizens? No problem. They are arrested charged and brought to court when they violate the laws. Howie Carr often rants on his show "Just treat me like an illegal alien." He is on to something for sure.



After I told the Chinese visitor what I thought of his putting a cigarette in the drop box, I went on my way. The two men hurried along to catch up to their group. I finished my errands in Harvard Square and went to the main branch of the library to return a book. I saw the group of Chinese visitors in the meeting room in front of the new library building. I returned my book. Then I saw the two men who put the cigarette in the mail box. I was going to leave, but thought I'd ask one of the reference librarians what he thought about the incident. Did he think it was important enough to call the local police?




Meeting Room At Cambridge Public Library

I waited while he was on the phone answering questions. The group of Chinese visitors came out from the meeting room and was led by no less than the Library Director Susan Flannery. She actually waved at me and said hello. I wondered what was up. Was she planning to have me arrested? I mean, that woman, one of many prominent lesbians in leadership positions in Cambridge, usually shuns me. When I was making a video of the opening of the new library she hid behind others when I tried to capture her image.

So I asked her, "Are you talking to me?" She nodded and smiled. I said "One of your visitors put a lit cigarette into a mail box near my house." She did not respond. One lady who appeared to be the Chinese tour group leader came over to me trying to be friendly. I told her the same thing. I pointed out the two men.


Susan Flannery, Cambridge Library Director

I was still waiting to get the reaction from the reference librarian who was still on the phone. An American woman who was some sort of liaison for the group came over to me and said, "Excuse me. We are doing a tour here." I said "One of your tourists put a lit cigarette into a mail box." 

I added, "We have enough trouble here. We do not need tourists like that." When the librarian got off the phone I asked if I could get his reaction. He was angry and said to me. "No. You can't get my reaction. I am a professional librarian, and can give you information."

I did not know if he was angry with me waiting to talk with him, or if he was just angry at his life situation. I said "You are doing a tour."

He said, "I'm not doing a tour."

I said, "The library is doing a tour. One of the tourists put a lit cigarette into the mail box near my house."

He asked, "Which mail box."   

I said, "The one near my house."

I added, "But since you are a professional librarian, you are unable to answer my question which is not part of your job."

The Chinese lady tour guide tried a second time to apologize for the behavior of one of her tourists. I repeated my thoughts, "We have enough trouble here. We don't need any more." I left the library and went home.

I know why the local police, five crime families, Harvard University campus cops, Communists and  FBI informants take turns harassing me every day. In Cambridge where Harvard University runs the state and local government, laws are optional. It is up to the President and Fellows of Harvard College whether they are to be enforced or not. In this case a Chinese tourist was probably praised for putting a lit cigarette into the mail box. Who uses snail mail these days? Certainly none of the elitists at Harvard University who all have hand held wireless devices.

Moreover the Chinese government is the major creditor nation of the US government which is run by a genius educated at Harvard Law School.  Wouldn't want to create an international incident over a lit cigarette.