Tag Archives: Julio

(I’m) Stranded

1 Reply

Late news breaking, late news breaking. Not really news, just the usual blah blah blah from me. Just got back from a late snack with Julio. He with his hummus and pita and me with a burger. And some Stella Artois to accompany the meals.

A good time, a nice talk. He’s still a good guy and a good friend.

It was quite a hot day today, 90 degree range, closer to 100 degrees than I would have hoped. Quite humid out, so much so that by the time I got to the office I was drenched with sweat.

I don’t take the subway on weekends since the service really falls off on Saturday and Sunday. I did stop by the Farmer’s Market and picked up some cookies for the co-workers again. Just a little something nice, something sweet to glue the team together.

No Richard III auditions today. But there was a different type of royalty that visited the cigar shop this afternoon. Specifically the Prince of Morocco. Really.

There were a number of Middle Eastern guys standing outside the shop for an hour or so this afternoon, no one paying them much mind. Then a few of them came in and checked things out, followed by a handsome man in an emerald green polo shirt.

He checked out a few cigar punches and almost didn’t buy them until I demonstrated how they are used best with a large ring gauge cigar, which just so happens to be the ring gauge I prefer. He bought 2 cigar punches.

Then he asked to see some lighters and I showed them to him. He picked out 5 different lights and then left, leaving someone else to pay the $1500.00 bill.

It was my sale and I couldn’t have completed it without the help of Raymond, Don Birch and Sean, so I treated them to some milk chocolate covered pretzels from Godiva. They were surprised by my gratitude, so unaccustomed to behavior like this.

Luckily for me the pretzels were on sale, 3 boxes for $10.00.

It was the highlight of my day. The Prince also stopped by the leather goods shop next door where he dropped $20,000. It was more low key after the visit from Moroccan royalty. The 4 of us just passing the time, Don Birch waiting until he can leave at 7:30.

Sean, Raymond and I hung I there until 9:00. Sean and Raymond split after that, I stayed behind to close up the shop as that is my duty.

I hustled down to the bus terminal in 15.9 minutes, from Something About England to The Crooked Beat from the Clash’s Sandinista.

It being the weekend people in the terminal didn’t know of escalator protocol, instead of staying to the right if you’re not climbing the stairs on the escalator. I opted to climb the stairs next to the escalator, taking 2 at a time to make my bus.

I was doing well, listening to the Clash until I got to the top step where I tripped and landed on my hands and knees. It must have made for a sight for the escalator clots.

I gathered whatever it was that I dropped and quickened my pace to my gate where I found the bus had departed. In front of me was an Asian dude who started talking to me about how hot it was. As It got more crowded and I inched toward him I could smell the booze coming out of his pores.

I was glad to make it to Hoboken and glad to have a late meal with Julio who couldn’t stop laughing when I told him of my fall at the top of the stairs. I knew he would get a giggle out of it.

Still quite hot and Bill’s in Atlantic City.

I’m Bad

Leave a reply

It’s July 3rd. It’s a Saturday. I have to work. Or rather, had to work. I didn’t mind. The day started off with the Supremes singing Love Child. Actually there were a few other songs that played before I hit the snooze button, but Love Child was the one that registered.

I set about starting my day. Julio called offering to buy bagels but I had to turn him down since I wouldn’t have any time to eat them. I did have time to check emails and such while the morning news played on behind me.

As I checked the email, I heard a report of an accident in New York Harbor by the Statue of Liberty. What may have happened was that two boats were near the statue, perhaps anchored when a larger boat cruised past creating a large wake causing the larger of the two boats to rise out of the water and land on the smaller boat.

There were three people in the smaller boat when the larger boat landed atop of it, killing one of the three. The other two were rushed to the hospital. The driver of the larger boat was charged with boating under the influence and vehicular homicide.

I knew the driver of the larger boat. The company he works for sublet office space from Bio-IB in the last year I was working there. He was a nice guy, one of the few in the group of Israeli conservatives. It’s a shame all around.

It was a shock to hear the name of someone you know on the news. I expect more will be said later on the 11:00 News.

After all that I was waiting for the bus where Rand stopped by for a few minutes, telling tales of his fun times at Maxwells the past few nights. Unfortunately the bus was fast approaching and I had to get on it to get to work on time.

Still reading You Never Give Me Your Money by Peter Doggett. Such nastiness between John, Paul, George & Ringo. Mainly John, George & Ringo with Allen Klein against Paul. Bitchiness, drugs, booze and Hare Krishna. A gripping read.

Got to the shop on time, hardly anyone in midtown Manhattan except for tourists. It was a slow day and there was only one register functioning since the other register was fucked up last night, and not because it was short.

It was slow enough that one register was all that was needed anyhow. Some of the usual customers who hadn’t fled the city came in, including one opera singer who dislikes me.

Calvin & I discussed this and figured out that it was probably because the opera singer, let’s call him Pagliacci, is deeply closeted and I am not. Calvin remembered that when Pagliacci and I first met, he wasn’t the usual jovial self he seems to be with everyone else.

In fact he quickly withdrew his hand after a brief handshake, whereas with everyone else he’s glad handing Andy. No skin off my back, I couldn’t care any less.

Came home by 10:00, from the cigar shop to the bus terminal in 15.4 minutes, courtesy of the Raybeats.

Bill is on his way home. There was an accident, some woman sideswiped his bus. No injuries, no passengers on the bus. He’s not too happy, and that’s understandable.