Mestee Blogger

Across the street from North Station, there is a veritable melting pot of commuters every morning: workers and students waiting for shuttles, entering and exiting the T, walking to work, etc. For this reason, the area I speak of is a hotspot for marketers looking to get their product known by a wide range of people. On any given morning, it is not unusual to see a team of twenty-somethings handing out free samples of yogurt, smoothies, or energy bars. Even though I have never gone out and bought anything that I've received a sample of, I find it hard to turn down a freebie.

This morning, as I crossed the street (they have crossing guards now!) people could be heard yelling: "Get your chocolate multi-vitamin!" "Chocolate multi-vitamin...tastes good, good for you!" They seemed to be aggressively approaching and handing out these little packets to everybody that passed, but when I got close, the girl sort of went around me. I approached her and held out my hand, the international sign for "Give me that free stuff that you have". She gave me a slightly quizzical look, but handed me the goods anyway. I put it in my pocket and hopped on the bus.

When I got to work, I reached into the pocket of my jacket and took out the sample...ready to consume something that "tastes good" and is "good for you". I soon realized that it wasn't intended to be good for me. The label read "Viactiv Multi-Vitamin: Active Nutrition for Women by Women". The strange look from the girl made much more sense now, but I feel like they should have maybe mentioned the whole "Women" angle out loud. It kind of reminds me of the time my uncle bought some FUBU sweats, only to be informed later that FUBU stands for For Us By Us, and that Us stands for black people. Realizing the minor faux pas, he laughed it off and continues to wear them. Similarly, I consumed my chocolate chew multi-vitamin and am presently enjoying all of the nutritional benefits it offers to women.

I have nothing planned for this weekend, but if I'm stuck in the house much longer I might have to get Jack Torrance-style on the roomies.

This article is the latest installment in Slate's Human Guinea Pig series. Learn some surprising techniques for beating a lie detector test.

Here are some celebrity look-alikes from the New England area. Some are surprisingly accurate, but I think the Justin Timberlake guy is delusional. Enjoy your weekend.

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