Category Archives: Cool Cold Reality

Where it is and what it came from. The end-all, be-all, and all-for-a-dollar.

I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)

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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

I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)

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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