Truthfully, I know a couple of guys, even bunches of them. But generally speaking, when a guy says that he knows a guy, he isn’t simply making the statement that in the course of his life he exchanged handshakes, fist bumps, high fives, noogies, or whatever the cool kids do these days with another guy and now knows the guy. Knowing a guy is having that guy pick you up at the airport, helping you move, or loaning you his truck. In a certain context, “knowing a guy” may mean that for the right price, an individual with less than altruistic intentions can be contacted to supply “goods and/or services” to the guy willing to part with an amount of lucre, filthy or otherwise. (I used “lucre” to throw a bone to any KJV only guys out there.)
To wit:
Carl- “I’ll tell you, Jake, my business associate is snoopin’ around in
my books. There’s some stuff in there that could make things
difficult, if you catch my drift”
Jake- “It’d be a crying shame if something happened to the guy, say a
tragic accident or something.”
C- “How in the world would that happen?”
J- “I know a guy.”
For the purposes of this increasingly ridiculous blog post, I’ll share some experiences I had at the 50th annual Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, and how knowing a couple of guys made the experience so much better. First, a guy I know has an infectious love for and knowledge of drag racing. He’s willing to make the drive and share information about racers, cars, rules, the track, and the history of the event. It is easier to navigate and more interesting when knowing the particulars, the back stories, if you will. I also know a guy that has “behind the ropes” access at the dragstrip. Knowing him enabled us to see from otherwise restricted vantage points and put us in immediate contact with the stars of the sport. Another guy answered some questions I had about photography, and showed me images he had captured earlier.
Would I have enjoyed myself at the race, even if I didn’t “know a guy”? Sure, but the entire day was enriched because I not only know a guy or 3, but spent time with them. Do you know a guy?
(Click “Stand On Firmer Ground” for a deeper look into I Know A Guy)