You pay to be left alone
Her: Hey, are you free to join some work colleagues for dinner?
Me: Sure – where and when?
The Firecracker had a fancy work dinner to attend, so I gave her some suggestions, including the really nice restaurant that I took her to on our first proper dinner date years ago.
She booked a reservation but then one person couldn’t make it, so I showed up in his stead.
It’s funny because someone mentioned on the Firecracker’s social media why we would want to eat in an empty restaurant, and we talked about that exact topic that night.
Me: (to the guests) The thing about living in NYC is that when you pay a ridiculous amount of money in a restaurant for food, you’re really paying for people to not be on top of you.
Firecracker: Yeah, most places are crowded and loud. You pay for space and quiet.
In any case, I got my usual burger…
…and a drink.
Afterward, I gave some of them – who were in town visiting – a tour of the St. Marks area.
Along the way, we walked by some old haunts of mine, including:
-
- Cafe Orlin, which is now the Marylou Bistro
- Stingy Lulu’s, which is now just sad and empty
- Yaffa Cafe, which is now Cecilia 97
Spent most nights there with my friends Francis and Rain but that’s a story for another day.
We ended up at Criff Dogs…
…and Please Don’t Tell, the speakeasy that we didn’t make it into last time and actually made it in this time.
I may or may not have ordered some hot dogs.
Firecracker: I swear to god, he has a wooden leg.
Me: I’m a growing boy.
Afterwards, we all went our respective ways but I actually, sent Rain a shot of Cafe Orlin/Marlou Bistro…
…and his response was typically him.
Without telling his story, I think part of the reason he left New York was that the New York that he loved left him.
I think that’s why a lotta people leave this place.
There’s almost nuthin left of the New York City that I once knew.
But that’s ok for me.
Because I gotta figure that the New York City that I knew is nuthin like it was for someone else who came before me.
And it’s time for someone else to have their New York City.
Me: I miss the kid.
Her: He’ll be back this weekend.
Me: (nodding)
Location: 10AM, shooting a shirtless video for Scenic Fights and then eating $58 worth of carbs immediately afterward
Mood: so. so. so. so. full.
Music: In New York, you can be a new man (Spotify)
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