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I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

Today has been day four out of five. I’ve already hit 40 hours, tomorrow will make it 50. It’s rough, being on your feet 9 hours a day, then trying to find a place to sit down for as long as possible on your lunch hour. Today was no different, though it did start out differently.

I had to go in an hour earlier this morning and watching the local news, traffic and weather I heard that there was an hour delay in getting into the Lincoln Tunnel. With my track record this week, I made the decision to catch the Path train. After getting myself together, I headed down Washington Street to the Path train.

I knew what side of the train to get on this time, but there was a train in the station already and I was able to score a seat. I sat and read Retromania by Simon Reynolds some more as the train barreled down the tracks. At 33rd Street I got off and got on the Q train heading uptown. It dropped me off a few blocks away from the cigar shack but I didn’t mind since I was early. About a half hour early.

I wandered around the area, got my usual iced coffee and sat outside until the proper time. I was working with Zack and Thomas today and it went well. Zack is great to work with on the floor and we had a lot of laughs. He also threw a few sales my way which helped not just me but the cigar shack in general.

Jerry Vale came in around 2:00 since there was a conference call that Thomas and Jerry Vale had to be in on. I have to be in on the call tomorrow morning at 8:00 but I can do that from home, before heading into the cigar shack. The original plan was for me to be at the cigar shack at that accursed hour, but with the 800 number and the link on the page I can do it from where I am sitting right now, perhaps even wearing what I am wearing right now, or even less.

It was a busy enough day at the cigar shack, the conference call lasted almost 2 hours which delayed my usual lunch by an hour. So it was a bit windy and cloudy when I was finally able to go outside. I heard from Pedro who was planning on coming into the city tonight and wanted me to hang out with him. He called me before 2:00 and I really could not talk at that time.

When I called him on my lunch hour, it was too late for him so he was staying in Otisville. I also heard from Rand who inquired if I would be going down to Asbury Park with him and Lisa as well as Lois and Mike Neutron. I begged off since Bill is also off this weekend and we rarely have the same days off. Plus I have a ton of laundry to do and I wasn’t so keen on driving down the shore, which is weird since I do love going down the shore.

Instead, Bill and I might go see the Avengers movie on Saturday night, which is also something we hadn’t done since January 2011, going to a movie together. My friend Sung might be in town on Saturday and if I have a chance, I might meet him for a coffee.

In any event, I am home now, the alarm clock has been set so I can be reasonably coherent for the conference call at 8:00. One more day until the weekend. I’m sure I can do it.

I hope Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Seltzer have a good time in France.



Polyrock – Your Dragging Feet

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I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

Tuesday evening at the cigar shack. It has been a long day. Up pretty early, had another meeting at a cigar shop and I think it well, though the interviewer was a bit foggy due to attendance at the former manager of the cigar shop (Marcus) long delayed Bar Mitzvah. Apparently it was a lot of fun, Marcus hoisted upon chairs and Mazel Tov’s all around.

The meeting was all the way on the east side so that meant a Path ride and then a crosstown bus. The Path wasn’t so bad but I had forgot how much I hated taking the train so early in the morning. Standing around, too many people and I got in on the wrong side of the car. The other side opened first so all the seats were taken when I boarded.

The cigar shop was around where Bill spent his formative years so he had the scoop on what bus to take, where to get off and of course, how to get back. I think I did well. Apparently a lot of people who know me from the cigar shack want to pickle me for my red herring expertise. Was Bismarck a herring?

I was crazy early for work at the cigar shack this morning so that was good. yesterday I was a bit late due to a bus breakdown in the Lincoln Tunnel. Of course nothing was mentioned until I took it upon myself to ask a local bus driver if he saw the 126 bus. He said no, that the Lincoln Tunnel was closed down. I was waiting with 10 people and 5 of them followed me as we walked to the Path train. It wasn’t as crowded at 11:00 in the morning as it is at 9:00.

I haven’t written about the Hoboken ARt & Music festival on Sunday which is a lot more fun than cigar shack tales. Bill and I had dinner with Julio & Stine and Alexander on Friday and I mentioned the festival and Julio of course rolled his eyes. He’s born and raised in Hoboken so it is no thrill for him, just tons of people he tries to avoid and never see again.

To my surprise I got a text from him saying that the 3 of them were at the feast. So instead of my usual plan of showing up at 4PM I was there at 1:30. Julio bellyaching, Stine watching Alexander on the rides. We walked around a bit, Alexander had his Razor scooter so he was having fun. The adults bickered about what to do next. I planned on going back home and resting up.

Now earlier I had spoken to my brother Frank. He was interested in seeing the headliners, the dB’s but when I called he had no idea what was going on. I told him to call me when he had a clue. As I parted ways with Julio, Stine & Alexander I get a phone call from Frank’s wife Elaine. They’re in Hoboken and where was I?

I explained I needed to go home but I would be back. I just wanted to sit down somewhere comfortable. Bill who drove the night before was up from sleeping and heading out, so I basically chilled out for about 45 minutes before joining the fray. SUre enough I get to the stage, there is Frank, and elaine as well as Rand & Lisa and the super wonderful Jane Scarpantoni who I hadn’t seen in quite a long time.

The band was good, catching up was done. Chaz was there as were Karyn Kuhl, ALice Kg, Alirio and a bunch of other people I had last seen in April at Maxwells for Steve Fallon’s return.

Tonight on the way home, I’m walking fast through the terminal trying to make my bus. I see my friend Denise about 30 feet ahead of me, but I’m not yelling. 2 youngish women, drunk and waving their arms are directly in front of me as I’m trying to get past them. Swinging their arms dangerously close to my crotch as they express how surprised they are that ‘Todd was smoking pot!’.

I see Denise when I get on the bus, running past the arm swinging young female alcoholics and sit next to Denise. The drunk girls walk by and I mention to Denise how one of them almost castrated me while she was walking and also said loud enough that ‘Todd was smoking pot’. The young woman turns and gives me a dirty look as she teeters in her heels with the rest of her drunken cabal.

Denise and I have having many laughs and eventutally the drunkettes get off the bus. The ‘intimidating one’ meaning the one who wasn’t slurring her words says ‘You got something to say?’ as she starts heading down the steps. I tell her I will repeat it only if she closes her eyes while descending the steps.

She calls me an asshole. I tell her she’s the front part. Eventually they’ll wind up in a bar spreading chlamydia, amongst other things. I’m sure we’ll cross paths again. I’ll remember them, they probably saw 2 of me so they’ll be looking for twins or Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Drew Carey.




35 Drunk Girls

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I Keep On Lovin’ You

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Back at the cigar shack and writing on the fly. Tonight I go to where eagles dare. Specifically I am going to the Eagle to drum up business for the cigar shack vis a vis the gay community. Hello bears, hey there leathermen, come with me to the man cave in midtown. It should make for an interesting night.

The weather seems better than predicted so it shouldn’t be so bad. I am able to leave the cigar shack a half hour early since the goddamned aerie is not easily accessible to public transportation. One part of me suggests taking a cab from 111th Ave to the nest and other part of me says take the train down to Chelsea and perhaps catch a crosstown bus.

Already I am planning my escape route, a cabbage from the Eagle to the Path train. That’s what I did last time and it seemed to have worked out fine, so why shouldn’t it tonight?

Today was also the day that Zack wanted my progress report back. They were handed out at the staph meeting and we were told to look them over and make some comments or suggestions on how we can improve ourselves. Well the thing is I agreed with the majority of what Zack had to say and decided on a more aggressive response.

My faux Zen outlook hasn’t served me well so I suppose being a cutthroat like my coworkers might be the way to go. So far it has served me somewhat well. Things seem to be getting back to what passes for normal both here and in the outside world.

Thomas is hovering around like a gnat from time to time, watching what it is that I write, or what websites I visit. Usually when that happens I shut everything down, clear the history cache and move away from the computer so that he can send yet another email to his girlfriend.

Keeping in mind that he is a mere 25 I can only make sure he has enough rope. It promises to be a swinging party.

On the bus this morning I listened to Charles Trenet singing La Mer. AT work shortly after I came in it was Michael Buble singing Beyond the Sea. Right now near the cigar shack, Time Magazine and it’s 100 Influential Doorknobs is going on. Cardinal Dolan is expected. Will his presence bring about a ‘sic semper tyrannis’ moment? One could hope.

I am leavbing in less than an hour. Did not expect to be able to write all this but here I did it. Close to 500, not the usual 600 as I’ve been doing lately. Thomas returns, the hovering will start so an abrupt end is expected.

Talking Heads Naked is playing. Didn’t care for it much when it came out, but after seeing Buena Vista Soical Club and developing a taste for Latin Rhythms, I finally got it, once again too late really. heading out soon enough. Weather permitting.

Back home now. Was it worthwhile? Hard to say, only time will tell.


back to the PATH


01 Pop Muzik
Persona non grata, that’s me!

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I Hold Your Hand In Mine

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Right now, Turning Japanese by the Vapors is playing. A 1980 hit, right before graduation if I recall correctly. Great song, I still don’t think it’s about masturbation but I do get the references. I don’t think one of my favorite songs of all times, Another Girl Another Planet by the Only Ones is about heroin but that’s what the word in the shooting galleries is, from what I’ve heard. Do they still have shooting galleries? Not that I want to know, I am just wondering.

The world spun on it’s axis and a new day started. Last night when I came home Bill was fast asleep. I woke him like he asked me to and we chatted for a while, he was getting pissed off at George Zimmerman’s friend Joe Oliver on Lawrence O’Donnell.

Lawrence O’Donnell and Charles Blow from the New York Times tore his story apart. It was found out last night that he’s not such a good friend of murderer of Trayvon Martin, Zimmerman, just a co-worker who hadn’t spoken to him in over a month. It seemed like he was trying to get as much of his 15 minutes of fame as possible, and Bill agreed.

Bill went to bed soon after, and I followed an hour later. A decent hour, I got about 8 hours but it wasn’t restful. I had a dream where I was in a car with former friend Derry Pedovitch. We were talking to each other. I saw a picture of him online a few weeks ago, and time hadn’t been that kind to him. In the dream he was about to take off his baseball cap and I urged him not to.

I woke up, Bill still asleep. He was still ill and took the day off from work. I muddled about with my things and kissed Bill good bye. He was startled to see me hovering over him and wished me well on my day as I headed out.

Uneventful bus ride once again. I helped a blind woman cross Eighth Avenue since the people standing around her weren’t about to. Then a walk up the avenue where I started work. Zack and Jerry Vale once again. Much better than yesterday.

Zack is a great boss (and I write that hesitantly knowing that once I write it, things generally go awry), very generous with jerry Vale and myself, so much so that we both did good on sales today, Jerry Vale taking a decent lead with me not so far behind.

I am dreading tomorrow, having to open up again. I do get out early though and since I am off on Friday my mind is trying to think that it’s like having a day and a half off.

Now the Stranglers are on in the shop, Hanging Around is the song. Is it about Jesus? There is a Christ reference and his mother, after all. It’s my WPIX Playlist, songs from 1978-80 and some more recent things that could have fit in back then as well.

Just 28 minutes left. 28 long minutes and I get to start it all over again tomorrow morning.



06 Lavaux

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I Have The Touch

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Finally back at home after a long day. I suppose the long day started last night when I was going to bed. As I was getting into the bed, a small voice in the back of my head said ‘you should check to see if you are opening the cigar shack tomorrow’. I didn’t pay any attention to it and soon was fast asleep.

Bill was above me a few hours later giving me a kiss goodbye and I went back to sleep. The alarm was set for 8:00 and I figured that it was a normal day with me headed in to the cigar shack at the usual time of 11:30. But the small voice was a bit larger this morning and I was compelled to listen to it, so I got out of bed, walked over to computer and pulled up the schedule.

It turned out that I was opening the cigar shack this morning after all, meaning I had to be there by 9:30 to open at 10:00. I got myself together, quick shower and shave, fast bowl of cereal, one cup of really good coffee that Bill made and after putting on a suit & tie with shoes & socks I was out the door, headed down the stairs.

Much to my surprise there was a line of people waiting for the bus. The 9:15 bus. I knew I wasn’t going to make it at 9:30 and hoped I would be there by 10:00. The bus filled up and we flew through the tunnel, a slight delay underground, someone tapped someone else’s bumper. Nothing major but slowed things down enough for me to send a text to Zack that I was stuck in the tunnel.

The schedule said he was going to be in as well so I wasn’t worried as I hustled through the bus terminal and out on the street. I wisely decided to hoof it up to the cigar shack since the subway is so undependable and I did not need that stress. I made it to the cigar shack at 9:55 which wasn’t that bad. A regular customer was waiting outside and I let him in, glad to have some company.

Zack phoned a bit frantic. Apparently he was not coming in at his usual time, he was at the doctor’s office and worried that I was going to be very late. I reassured him that it was all good, no worries and set about starting and opening the cigar shack and counting the registers.

Bradley soon made it in about an hour later and like I’d written before, he’s been alright now that he is the assistant manager and he was pretty funny once again. Thomas came in a little while after that and he wasn’t too happy. He had gone out the night before with a customer, had a few drinks and was feeling angry since his commission check wasn’t all that he had hoped it would be.

I was satisfied with mine but then again I did have top sales in February. He didn’t do so bad either and I did remind him that the numbers he adds up in his head aren’t necessarily the numbers they crunch at the headquarters. The day was busy enough, Zack eventually made it in and was hidden away in his office.

The man cave was bustling as usual. It was a nice day, warm enough to sit on a bench near the park and enjoy life going by as I enjoyed a small cigar. I was back at the shack and made it through the day unscathed. Glad to be home and happy to know that my hours will be back to normal tomorrow.





bus queue


02 Wax And Wane

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I Got The Feelin’

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

A day back at the cigar shack. Not a bad day. I told Thomas last night that I would work the super bowl with Jerry Vale which frees him up to spend time with his fiancee on Sunday night. He was so grateful he threw a major order in my direction and he and his fiancee made me some corn bread which I will enjoy when I get home.

It’s been an alright day overall. It was Thomas and Bradley and myself and since Zack was off today that put Bradley in a good mood once again. I did hear from Zack via text today. He first asked if I had a passport and I replied that I did.

Then he asked if I would be interested in going to Honduras. Apparently a cigar manufacturer has tours of their fields and factory in Honduras and Zack was supposed to go but he wasn’t really feeling it, having just gotten back from two weeks of being out of town away from his family.

It would be all expenses paid and I would just have to pay for my flight which would be reimbursed by the cigar shack headquarters. I mentioned it to Bill and he looked up flight information. It was supposed to be from March 12th to the 15th, but after Bill’s research he found the best deal would mean my leaving on March 11 and coming back on March 16 and would not involve a layover that is 20 hours overnight.

Eventually we figured out that it would not be affordable. That means that Bradley might have to go. I would like to go but realistically it’s not feasible. And I would rather travel with Bill. He’s great, he loves to plan trips and all I have to do is show up. Cars, flights, hotel rooms all taken care of. I suppose I am spoiled by Bill when it comes to matters like this. It’s OK, I certainly don’t mind and neither does Bill.

The weather today has been outstanding, 60 degrees when I went on break at 3:15 this afternoon, nice enough to spend most of the break time, outdoors in the cool air. There were plenty of other people who had the same idea. So tomorrow is another day on, then another day off. And there is more laundry to do, laundry that didn’t quite make the cut the other day.

The plan is to get up early enough to get a start on that and then figure out the rest of the day. Of course by then it can all go pear shaped. Last night I watched Gosford Park again. It’s such a good movie, great script, great cast. Bill watched some of it before he went into shredding mode, meaning he sat at the kitchen table, shredding some documents and spending way too much time reading other documents.

Bjork was on the Colbert Report last night and she was very good of course. I plan on buying her new CD but as far as I know it’s only available as an app from iTunes. It could be available somewhere, somehow and I intend on finding it one way or another.

Thomas mentioned that I look like that I lost too much weight and that my suits all hang on me.I guess he is right since I can’t tell. And Jimmy Seltzer made an appearance, telling me that I should get it together and write my book. I really should, shouldn’t I?






10 Where Do I Begin
Thanks for the ride, Don Cornelius.

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