's up, lil' man?

Yesterday, at the community college where I teach part-time, I was looking for a particular person to get some information. I went to her office and was told that she was helping with registration in the cafeteria. Yes, registration is still held on campus, not online and in a cafeteria. I go to the cafeteria. I had never met the woman I was looking for, so I walk up to the registration window and before I could get a word out, a guy sitting in a chair, on the other side looked up at me and says, ’s up, lil’ man? I was so taken by the greeting, it didn’t really click what he had said, so I asked for the woman that I had mentioned before without responding to him.

’s up, lil man? He said. ‘s up. Lil’ man.

1. I’m in my mid-30s--ok, late 30s. Little man is something you call a six year old on the basketball court after he heaves the ball in the air and it hits the bottom of the net. Nice try, lil’ man.

2. I’m an instructor. I tell my students to call me Eric or Mr. Vithalani or Mr. V but not to call me “hey you” or “hey asshole” and now I have to include “lil’ man.”

3. If I were a student, it seems unprofessional to call me “lil’ man.” “s up,little man? You be wantin’ some classes up in this bitch. I can turn you on, yo. I gots some Englishes. You wants some Maths, I gots some o’ dat too. You let me know. You my Lil’ man.

4. Maybe hitting the gym and the 22 mile round trip bike commute to my other job is paying off. ‘s up, lil’ man?