Monthly Archives: March 2012

I Heart NY

Well last night was somewhat different from my usual routine. I got out early since I opened up the cigar shack and avoided the theater crowds by taking the subway to the bus terminal. Then after climbing a few escalators I thought I would catch the bus, but 3 scheduled buses did not appear making the one bus that actually did show up extremely crowded.

I rode past my usual stop and got something to eat. Since I usually get home too late to eat a full meal, I was afforded enough time to have something substantial. I watched Bill Maher where I enjoyed Charles Blow’s interview with Bill Maher regarding the Trayvon Martin tragedy. After that it was all downhill. I once again dislike Andrew Sullivan. Fred Armisen was entertaining but why do they have him on besides to remind people that Bill Maher is ‘funny’.

I watched the news and spoke to Bill who made it to Atlantic City. Around midnight I was fading fast and thought it was time to turn in. I wasn’t sure if I would actually be able to fall asleep an hour earlier than usual, and I found out 8.5 hours later that I was able to fall asleep.

Been a while since I had 8.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep and even though I usually don’t sleep well when Bill is not in bed, I was able to sleep quite soundly. Waking up refreshed I was ready for work. Bill came home a few minutes before I headed out and it was nice to spend some fleeting minutes with him before he went to bed and I was able to head to the cigar shack. He’s driving to Atlantic City again tonight.

At the cigar shack there was Bradley and Jerry Vale. Things were going well, still selling the unveiled cigar from the other night as well as a few other choice cigars. Mainly the numbers were for all cigars, no big ticket items. For lunch I was able to have some Shepherd’s Pie once again.

I was going to enjoy a cigar in the man cave but it was too crowded so I opted to roam the streets which had gotten considerably cooler than the near 80 degree weather that’s been occurring lately. The day was alright, nothing special. I wrote another blog entry for the cigar shack’s blog, including some decent photos.

Of course things were going so smoothly that there was bound to be some head butting and sure enough Bradley and Jerry Vale were at it. Nothing major, a miscommunication, a misunderstanding with some hurt feelings. It was odd to be witnessing it, usually I am one of the participants.

Whether or not they resolved it, I couldn’t say. I doubt that they did. The hatchet is buried somewhere though. Now it’s a Saturday night at the cigar shack, things are slowing down considerably, 33 minutes to go which won’t pass fast enough.

Not that I have any say in the matter.

a failed escape





Comical Israelites


03 Picture Book (mono)

I Heard You Say

I can’t go on. I’ll go on. It’s been an out of the ordinary 24 hours for me. Obviously I didn’t post last night. Got home too late and was not into it. I know, sometimes you just have to do it, but after a dental appointment followed by a cigar event that I had to attend it was a long drawn out day and the hours of not being home were about the same as if I was at work.

I left the apartment yesterday around 1:30pm for a 3:00 appointment. And it went well, a good cleaning and a check up to see how the last procedure was doing. The hygienist was really nice. Her birthday is September 11 and mine is September 12 so she figured that was why we were getting along so well. I left with a CARE package, a toothbrush, some floss, some toothpaste.

After that it was a walk to the cigar shack. Zack was in top form, entertaining 2 head cheeses that were in town for the cigar event. Bradley, Thomas and Jerry Vale were there as well. I was off yesterday but Zack mentioned a week or so ago that it would be a good idea to go to the event and take photographs for the cigar shack blog that I write.

I figured I could do that for a few hours and then slip out and go home. Of course that was not to be. I rode in a cab with Zack and Bradley to the Top of the Sixes and watched some guys in suits, some handsome- most not so handsome smoking cigars and doing whatever it is that they do. In Bradley’s words though it was a case of too many chiefs.

Zack and 2 other cigar shack management types were there, each with their own idea of what to do. Soon I was taking the cellophane from the cigars and placing them on trays. Trays which I held along with two other guys and as various guests arrived we made sure they got a free cigar.

They deserved a free cigar since the guests did pay close to $300.00 for a chance to smoke cigars with a geezer who’s name is on the box. It was the geezer’s 86th birthday and the occasion for the release of a new cigar in the geezer’s name. Appropriately enough, the cigar is called ‘The Geezer’.

After I gave out my cigars I was able to roam around a very smoky room and take some very smoky pictures. After some smoky pictures I helped some buxom young women take more cellophane off of more cigars which the buxom young women distributed. Something about zaftig women and cigars drives most heterosexual men ka-razy.

Thomas and Jerry vale joined the festivities, thinking it would be a party but they too were put to work. I was hoping to be out of there by 8:30 but did not actually leave until 10:30. I wasn’t happy about it but I was getting paid. I had to open the store today so I wanted to be home earlier but wound up getting home closer to midnight.

I went to bed a little after that, Bill fast asleep. He offered to stay up until 10:30 but by 9:00 I knew I wasn’t getting out of there anytime soon so I called and let him off the hook. Bill was up and out after a goodbye kiss and some passionate words and I got out of bed shortly thereafter. I shuffled about and was soon on the bus headed into the city.

Jerry Vale and I were opening, Thomas (who posted how hung over he was on Facebook) and Zack were coming in later. Thomas was grumpy again. I didn’t say anything since I was so morose the other day and Thomas seemed genuinely concerned. Still it was a long day. I was able to enjoy a cigar on a bench near the park at lunchtime, a couple of hours earlier than usual.

But the last hours crawled. The store did well, everyone had high numbers. I left a few minutes later than expected and took the subway, avoiding the mistake I made last week of walking to the bus terminal as the theater crowds started rolling in for Broadway. It did not matter since the bus did not show up on time.

In fact 3 buses that were scheduled did not show up at all. And once again I had disdain for most of my fellow commuters. But I made it back to Hoboken and just had some dinner. Now I am tired and did not really expect to write over 800 words tonight, but there you have it.

I did see Harpy today so that was quite nice. It was brief though. He’s as sexy as ever.

spot the geezer





1 – Up, Up and Away