Daily Archives: December 17, 2006

Lullaby of Birdland

A truly lazy Sunday. Yesterday was lazy too. I didn’t have to work at Farfetched since I had switched working on Monday instead. I took Bill to see the Manhattan Transfer at the Blue Note Jazz Club in the Village. Bill saw them about 20 years ago at Radio City and I felt it might be fun to see them in a more intimate setting. I planned this a few months ago and I was surprised I was able to keep it a secret for so long, but Bill was preoccupied with many things so it wasn’t very difficult. And it was a reason to get dressed up.

The original plan was that I was going to work at Farfetched from 11:00 to 6:30, and I was going to do that in a suit and tie. Susan came up with the idea to switch days so it worked out fine for all concerned. Bill had his rehearsal for a play that is going to be performed in February and then his vocal coach and was supposed to meet me at Farfetched, both looking dapper. I thought he knew but apparently forgot or wasn’t listening since I was home when he called asking if he could go the way he was dressed.

Blue Jeans and a faded Nuyorican Poets Café sweatshirt. I told him if that is what he wanted to wear that would be fine. I was going to be dressed up. He came home with some brownies and offered me two. I took one, leaving the other for later on as I was about to jump into the shower. I started to get dressed and Bill saw what I was wearing so he decided to get dressed up as well. I got a phone call from Julio, inviting me to stop by before we left.

I went down to Julio’s where he was hanging out with Simon a Danish friend staying at Claire’s apartment. Simon had procured some Moroccan spice which he was rolling into a nice Scandinavian Spliff. Had a swig from a beer and a puff and I was feeling fine as Bill stopped by and we were out the door soon after. We got to the Path train which was filled with people heading into the city on a Saturday night. It was jam packed as we stood and chatted getting off at the Ninth Street station.

I thought it would be a good idea to walk along Washington Square to throw off any ideas that Bill might be having and were online outside the Blue Note in no time. The doorman saw me and asked for my name and I told him, to which he said, ‘follow me’. Apparently we were VIP’s and were soon escorted to a prime, yet cramped table about 10 feet from the stage.

The Manhattan Transfer came out and sang beautifully for about 90 minutes. I remember seeing them on TV in the seventies and I could’ve sworn both of the guys were gay, though Alan Paul, the younger looking guy dedicated a song to Angela, his wife of 25 years. Okay…

We were back in Hoboken by 10:00. Julio and Simon had come back from getting some food and I joined them for about 45 minutes before heading back upstairs. I was focused on the other brownie but all I could find was the empty bag. Turns out Bill ate all of them, thinking that I had both of mine. I just went to bed.