Saturday, 3:00 p.m., Washington Square Park

[clean-looking man wearing a tight T-shirt rushes over; he’s not making eye contact] “Would you like a hug today?”

“No thanks.”

[he rushes off, still no eye contact, approaches other passersby with the same offer]

[a woman zips out, directly in front of me, and stands in my path] “Excuse me!”

“Um, yes?”

“Why did you not want to hug him?”

“What?”

“Why did you not want to hug him, when he asked you?”

“Um…”

“I’m from German television. Why did you not hug him?”

“Well, I heard about this in the paper.”

“I know. Why didn’t you want to hug him?”

[a cameraman approaches, hefting a large television camera on his shoulder]

“Why did you not hug him? Tell us. For German television.”

“Thanks, but I’m not interested.”

“Why did you not—why don’t you want to be on television?”

“Thanks, but I gotta go.”