From The Peopling of New York City

Recently at the Relay for Life in Baruch College, I met up with my standup Pakistani Muslim friend, Sameer Khan. He was sort of sleepy when I interviewed him as it was during the wee hours of the night when I conducted it. However, do not fear, for I will interview him again later; for now, this is what I got.

JWC: What is your name?

SK: Sameer Khan.

JWC: Where are you from?

SK: I was born in *inaudible* Texas and my parents are from Pakistan.

J: Are you a practicing Muslim?

S: Yeah, I am.

J: Do you follow all the Five Pillars?

S: Not all of them, but I pray 5 times a day when I can.

J: Did you go on the Hajj?

S: No, I’ll go when I have the money to.

J: What other questions should I ask?

S: I don't know, you’re the one in the class…

J: Did you ever go to Jackson Heights?

S: Yeah, I love going there actually.

J: Oh yeah, what do you do when you go there?

S: I dunno, it’s just a nice India-Pakistani community that I can sort of relate to. Um, it sort of, you know…it offers sort of community that is not readily available in Manhattan. You know, because there’s a lot of immigrants moving there. It’s more culturally welcoming for people coming to those areas.

J: Even if they are Hindu or Muslim?

S: Hindu, Indian, Muslim, Pakistani. Just generally speaking, just having those ground *inaudible* there, just sort of…it’s about establishing a comfort level, it’s easier there.

J: So in Jackson Heights, do you see the Muslim vendor stands?

S: I mean yeah, I've seen them before.

J: Do you every talk to those guys?

S: No.

J: No? Not your friends?

S: No, I don’t know anything about them.

J: How about the mosque in Jackson Heights, do you know anything about that?

S: I've been to a mosque in Queens, it wasn’t in Jaskson Heights though.

J: No…? That’s it?

S: I mean…I’m sorry Jin Woo.

J: Wait! Wait! We aren’t done yet! What is your opinion of Hindus?

S: C’mon, I don’t know, I mean…

J: Make something up; I don’t know!

S: I don’t think of them negatively, uh, there definatley is some tension going, especially between Pakistan and India…uh…you definitely can’t record that…

J: Why not!?

S: Just do it tomorrow.

J: I can't; I'm busy tomorrow.

S: Are you serious?

J: Wait! Don’t go to sleep on me, I need you! Hey, hey…

S: Jin Woo, I'm tired.

J: Yo, think of some questions! What would a person inquistive about Jackson Heights need to know?

S: What happened?

J: Is there anything important about Jackson Heights I need to know!?

S: No…They have bad housing there…it’s expensive for *expletive*

J: Oh it is? Oh crap, Im running out of batteries!!! No!!!

S: ZzzzZzzz...

J: ...