Tuesday – a day for exploring

You’d think that I’d be able to sleep in with the time change. After all, when it’s 7 am here in the big city, it’s only 4 am at home. But no. I’m wide awake at 6 am here. I dink around in the room for an hour, unpacking and cleaning up.

I have a “two room suite”. There are actually three rooms. A bathroom and two bedrooms. Each bedroom has a bed, a dresser and a TV. One room has refrigerator and microwave and the other has a phone. Neither room is wide enough to turn the bed sideways. But this is New York. What can you expect?

I’ve decided to do a lot of walking here. So I take off out of my room and head up to Broadway – two blocks east.

I’m at 80th and Lincoln Center is at 66th. 14 blocks. Off I go. Lots to look at. The weather is very nice early in the morning but the sidewalks are BUSY – you have to keep an eye out every minute. It takes me just over 20 minutes. File this away for the future: one and a half minutes per block. I get to Lincoln Center (LC) but most of the outside of the buildings are boarded up for a remodeling. I walked around the building and found several entrances open. There are several buildings and it’s like a maze in there. I forgot to bring the directions they sent me so I’ll have to come back later.

My next stop is Times Square – 42nd street. I decide that I’m not up to walking another 24 blocks so back on the subway. The subway costs $2 a trip but I got an unlimited pass for 30 days for $76. I get off at 42nd street and climb to the surface.

My sense are assaulted.

I could not believe how loud the steady state sound it. I am amazed that everyone in NYC isn’t deaf. The screech of the subways is everywhere, taxi horns, police sirens, people talking dozens of different languages. It’s a cacophony that makes me reel. Add to that the bright morning sun – I don’t have any sunglasses that fit my new glasses and all the lights of Broadway on even at 10 AM. And the smells. There are hundreds of smells all mingled together and the result is far more pleasant than you might think. Most come from restaurants that pipe their cooking smells out to the street (what else can they do with them?) And the small ubiquitous pushcarts with foods from every nation available. Indian curry mixed with Chinese stirfry mixed with southwest mesquite grilled hot dogs(???!!!). There’s also a Macdonald’s on every block and the sweet smell of their french fry fat mixes with all the other aroma’s. It made my stomach growl and reminded me that I hadn’t had any breakfast. I got a bottle of orange juice from a pushcart and wandered around for another hour and some. Now it’s after 1 pm and I’m really hungry. My feet are also getting very sore.

I get a phone call from my high school best buddy Hank (who now calls himself Henry) suggesting we meet at Joe Allens at 6 pm and decided what to do from there.

I head back up north on the subway and get off at 79th street and have lunch at a small, hole in the wall restaurant. A great caesar salad with grilled chicken. The dressing was a really nice garlic/olive oil combination. I’d go back there in a minute but I want to try different places.

By the time I get up from lunch, I can hardly walk. My legs have cramped so badly.

After a shower and a different shirt (it gets very hot and sweaty after the morning heats up) I head back downtown on the subway. I’m glad I got the thirty day subway pass.

I get to Joe Allen’s about 5:30 and stake out a seat where I can cover the door and another seat from Hank when he gets here.

Most people get off work at 5 and the place is filling up rapidly. I start to get nervous so I take out my book and start writing.

Here are my notes:

I’m really nervous. Why?
Will I recognize him?
How has he aged (I hadn’t seen him since 2001)
Will I seem really old to him?
How should I greet him? Handshake? Hug? Normally I’d hug him but he’s gay. Is it okay to hug him?
God, there are so many people coming in the door.
He’s late.
There’s another guy over there waiting for someone too. Not Hank.
He used to drink like a fish. Can I keep up with him?
At least I don’t have to drive home. I have the subway.
Several people are looking at this seat I’m holding. I don’t know how much longer I can hold onto it.
That other guy that’s waiting for someone is more nervous than I am.

Finally they guy made his fourth or fifth trip outside to look for someone. When he came back inside I thought: “Shit, I wonder if that could be him.” I pointed to him and said “Hank?” He said “Doug”. I got up and have him a big hug. We had been sitting there for twenty minutes and never recognized each other. We both got a lot older in the last seven years.

We didn’t drink too much but had a good talk that will remain forever quiet.

He had the Times and we talked about all the plays that were in town and picked a few that we would try to get tickets for to see on Wednesday. I’d see a matinee and then get tickets for the two of us for an evening show. I’d get in line for Tkts-tkts for half price tickets. They’re still expensive $51 for a half price ticket to a straight play, but that’s a story for tomorrow.

More later.