It must have been at Herald Square, where I was transferring onto the B, that I realized JA had left a message on my cell. I couldn't listen to the message below the ground — no service down there — but the display let me know that the call arrived at 7:58am. Why in the world would John be calling me at 7:58 in the morning? It was now almost 8:30. Shit:
Was
I
late?
But I couldn't be late — the invite said 9:00; I'd checked it a billion times. I'd meant to bring it home last night before leaving the office, but, in my special way, I'd left it, and so many other things, at my desk. I was preparing my apologies, assuming I must have read the invite wrong, when the train arrived at 7th Avenue and 53rd Street. I immediately dialed into my voicemail.
Seriously. And I have not forgotten the health-conscious veggies out there: the egg whites were also fried to perfection and served with a warm smile.
But, the bacon! Oh, the bacon.
I
late?
But I couldn't be late — the invite said 9:00; I'd checked it a billion times. I'd meant to bring it home last night before leaving the office, but, in my special way, I'd left it, and so many other things, at my desk. I was preparing my apologies, assuming I must have read the invite wrong, when the train arrived at 7th Avenue and 53rd Street. I immediately dialed into my voicemail.
Hello, Stephen. It's John. The Telarc demo has been pushed back from 9 to 10. I hope you get this message. See you there.I was relieved. Being late is a killer, but never do I mind being early. This is New York City and a walk around the block is filled with treasures. I walked by a few flower shops, thinking: "Should I?," before realizing I didn't even know her address. Where, after all, would the sweet lilies go? I had an hour and an empty stomach to tend to, so I yielded to the temptation of the modest-looking 53rd Street Deli. I don't know much about most things, and less about 53rd Street, but I can tell you this with some bit of conviction: if ever you find yourself on 53rd Street, between 9th and 10th, early for a meeting with Telarc's Michael Bishop who will be working a direct-to-stereo and surround DSD session of the honey-throated Ann Hampton Callaway at the cinnamon-scented Avatar Studios, using Lipinkski L-707s, a 16-channel Sonoma DSD workstation with EMM converters, and an EMM Labs Switchbox atop a beautifully weathered Neve monitor, or some other thing like that, then you should ignore the fancier cafes in the neighborhood, take a step into the 53rd Street Deli, and order yourself an egg sandwich with the best bacon you'll ever have.
