Shoeshine

Some other interesting, if typically American, developments referred to as 'service enhancements' included, for the sleeping car rider, pillows in the seats for 'daytime comfort', morning tea or coffee, newspaper, and even a shoeshine!

Walking back, I passed that crazy shoeshine guy again. On impulse, I did an about-face, climbed up onto his platform, and sat. I was nothing more than a pair of shoes to him, and he went to work without so much as an upward glance. But as it turned out, he hadn't been mumbling to himself, as I'd assumed; he'd been rapping. He rapped under his breath while he shined my shoes. I caught a little of it: Calvin Klein no friend of mine, don't want nobody's name on my behind . . ." When he finished, he rose from his stool. "Five dollar," he said, looking over my shoulder. I handed him two fives. "One for the shine, the other for the performance," I said, at which point he did look at me. I figured he'd return my smile, but instead he nodded, blank-faced, stuffed the bills into his pocket, and gave me his back.