Tag Archives: Farfetched

Don’t Come Around Here No More

Leave a reply

Well Harpy swore me to secrecy, that Farfetched will be closing at the end of February. Yesterday I found out that they will be closing at the end of January. Everything must go. They’re even selling the shelves. Harpy just called and wondered why I wasn’t there at the store.

After a 28 year run, Susan Zappone and Lois Marsilio are being forced out of business. The raising of the rent you see. It was outrageous rent to begin with, now it can only be described as out of control.

I started working there on and off about 10 years ago. The store had just been robbed by a guy named Delroy Kemp. He had a gun and not only did he rob the store, he robbed the customers as well. The employees at the time were women, Susan, Lois and Denise. Harpy was living the life of a country squire in Rhinebeck or La Grangeville.

I was working at Right Track at the time and was invited to a gathering at the Paramount Hotel that Harpy was having for his then companion, Carol. That’s where I met Susan. Actually I think it might have been when I passed a package of powders to Harpy.

Harpy mentioned that I might be interested in extra money and it would probably be a good thing to have a big guy behind the counter. I qualified as a big guy. Still not sure how intimidating I could be. No robberies on my watch I have to say.

For a while I mainly worked with Denise on weekends. Me coming in at 1PM and working until 7PM for $10.00 an hour. I enjoyed working there though even after all these years I never really felt I fit in. I knew the writing was on the wall the past holiday season where I usually would work one or two days to help out with the rush, this year there was no rush, therefore no need for me.

I helped them out however I could though. Even standing behind the counter when someone needed to go to the bathroom or put quarters in the parking meter. I did see Susan Sarandon shopping there as well as Tim Robbins on a different day. Also Julia Roberts and Benjamin Bratt.

The celebrity that stands out for me would be Joey Ramone buying about $100.00 worth of discounted holiday cards the day after Christmas. I didn’t get a chance to see Robert Plant shopping there a few months ago. I did alert Gawker Stalker on that celebrity sighting of Percy but they ignored that as well as other postings I sent them, so I don’t read Gawker anymore.

So it’s sad to see some friends business go belly up. I don’t know what’s in the works for Susan and Lois and I don’t think they know either. I do wish them well and I plan on visiting them soon enough before the end and before it turns into the hot spot to buy some authentic cruddy Goth shoes and boots which seems to be in the works.

Susan and Lois were at my 40th birthday surprise party that Bill threw 6 years ago at Rand and Lisa’s apartment. I wonder if Susan figured out her digital camera yet…

In other news, I have been home for an hour, heater is on, no carbon monoxide detectors going off. My brother Brian called me, a bit alarmed at the CO problems. CO meaning Carbon Monoxide, not Corrections Officer. That’s Pedro’s department and he doesn’t care. Great to hear from Brian despite the messed up news he had to say. And that’s all I have to say on that.

I’m Telling You Now

Leave a reply

Well today has been an off day. Started out that way, me being out of step with just about everyone. Nothing bad mind you. Just unable to get it together throughout the day. It started off with Love Me Do by the Beatles on the radio. Not a bad track to wake up to.

I puttered around, showered. Not enough milk for cereal but enough for coffee so I went out caffeinated but still fasting. Not too much of a problem, there’s plenty of places to get some food in Manhattan and I do know some cheap spots.

Made it to the office, nothing going on. I just keep rearranging the deck chairs. Right now, I’m pretty beat. Had some bourbon and a cigar with Steve a former co-worker. It was good seeing him.

Last week we basically had the cigar lounge to ourselves, this week it was crowded with men in suits smoking cigars. I of course was not suited, it being a Friday I went casual. Strangely enough after dressing casual or even more laid back than that, I can’t do casual anymore.

It’s more like sloppy than anything. I prefer the suit and tie. We finished the bourbon in Steve’s flask around the same time we finished our cigars. We plan to meet every Friday for cigars and booze. I walked back to the office, feeling good but still out of step.

A nap would reset my body clock but I couldn’t do that until I got home. I left the office around 3:30, caught the bus and did some food shopping at the supermarket. I was planning on going out to McSwells to see Jeff from Empire Coffee with his band, The Poconos and also see Roda but the way I’m feeling now, the way I’ve been feeling all day and the fact that it’s very cold out, makes me want to just stay at home.

Plus there is Chaz’ party tomorrow and that’s supposed to be in the middle of a snow storm. Hearing about the snow storm approaching made me think of 2 snow storms. One was back in 1970’s. It snowed enough that my father didn’t go to work and I had no school.

I mainly recall the 2 of us walking to the A&P which was usually a 20 minute walk but the snow made it an hour long jaunt.

The other time was in 2000 when Bill and I started going out. I was working at Farfetched and living in Weehawken. It was snowing quite heavily and enough so that NJ Transit ceased operations on everything.

Bill had told me about NJ Transit shutting down, but I wasn’t so sure. We had just started going out you see, and I didn’t know how in tune he was with bus schedules and information.

I was in the city and needed to get home somehow. No one was shopping so I got the go ahead to close the store and go home. I wound up taking the train to Herald Square and catching the Path train to Hoboken.

From there I walked up the middle of Washington Street since there wasn’t any traffic at 2:00 in the afternoon. I couldn’t see past a block ahead and anyway I was walking directly into the storm and my glasses had caked with snow and ice. All I could do was look at my feet as I trudged through the snow, telling people waiting for the bus that there was no bus service at all.

It took me about 2.5 hours to get from the Path train to Jane Street. By the time I got home I was plenty tired. Now I’m just tired and there’s no snow.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll make it up there after all. Maybe I won’t. I did give Jeff the heads up yesterday, letting him know that my afternoon would consist of scotch and cigars and he said he understood. Plus I’m generally reluctant to see friends in bands play. If they suck you have to lie and I find it hard to lie about music.