A little "Spring Time" tale: (and to those of you who may have seen this already on FB----I took it down after realizing that there always seemed to be "contributors" who felt obliged to add their comments. These stories are simply written as amusing memories and antidotes and are not intended as anything other than that-----As it states at the end---enjoy!)
Here's a little story about a "spring time" moment that happened to me that, in recalling, always puts a smile on my face.
But first----a little past/background. Growing up in the Detroit area, with what seemed like 6 months of grey overcast skies in the winter, "Spring" always seemed far away. As my brother Dave always said--"It wasn't any amount of snow or EVEN the grey skies.....it was the cold, bitter wind that got to you after months and months." True. But there came that ONE day when it would just barely warm up---and I am talking maybe 55degrees---when it not only FELT warmer but it had all the appearances of STARTING to warm into springtime. Then, suddenly, everyone was driving around with ALL of the windows down in their cars---in t-shirts with the music blasting--and "airing it out" as the phrase went. And this was not just a phrase! I would spend every day and evening in the winter riding around in my buddy Danny Valentini's Ford LTD----with the windows up, smoking cigarettes and eating junk food with the heater on full blast. Let me tell you---that car STUNK after all of that time. A few days of exuberant driving with the fresh air blowing through the car was a welcome change. So that special day of even the possibility of warmth, had everyone feeling good and enjoying it.
So---to my story.
I was in New York City about this time, some years back. I had some jewelry business in the Diamond district and a few customers to see. I also had arranged to meet my long distance romance from London. She was the director of a museum and, as such, had numerous fund raising meetings with New York socialites. We were staying at the Hotel Tuscany on 39th St. She had a personal meeting arranged one morning with ladies FAR beyond my realm or status and I assured her that she should do that while I attended to private customers. We had a car and driver arranged and it was decided that he was to take her to her appointment and I would walk to my customers---about 5 blocks down to the river in the United Nations Building.
It was a sunny, but cool, morning. The clients I had arranged to meet were friends of a movie producer contact I knew in L.A. He had informed me that they were "financiers" and that their "apartment" in the United Nations Building was, as he put it, "epic", with a view of the river, etc, etc. I dressed accordingly in a grey 3 piece suit. I had my briefcase and decided, after waiting with my lady in front of the hotel for the car to arrive, that I would be fine with gloves and a scarf but no overcoat. With a kiss and a wave, she was off on her way---and I proceeded down 39th ST. toward the river. There seemed to be a bit more than the usual noise and yelling coming from cars and I remember it reminded me of the mentioned "day" from my youth. Windows were open and the sun was shining and the snow had melted.
As I got a few blocks along on the north side of the street, I came upon a guy out standing on his porch, smoking a big old "banker" cigar. About 8:15AM, and this guy is outside smoking this HUGE cigar. He had jet black hair---slicked back---with a black beard that reminded me of "Wolfman Jack". That kind of trimmed/along the edge of the chin beard. RayBan sunglasses on. A black Italian knit shortsleeve shirt with white embroidery panels down either side of the buttons. Black pegged pants and shiny black shoes. He's doing this bounce back and forth from shoe to shoe thing---slightly moving each foot forward as he rocks from side to side. Big smile on his face. A black towncar goes by and honks and he yells "HEY! Vinnie! What? You steal a new one, or what?" The car honked again and the driver waved and continued on. "MAXIE! Not bad, unh?" he said to another car and opened his arms up and looked around, as if to say "Nice day!"
As I came walking along, he looked at me and I said "Good Morning! Did you order this up? Nice day we got goin'" He said, "Hey, howya doin? Yeah, yeah, that's my expertise. Arrangin' nice days!" I said, "Well thanks! I got a walk down to the river. It makes it all worth while." I was now just past him. He said over my shoulder, "Enjoy! Glad to help! Anything I can do!" and laughed. I waved over my shoulder and continued on. I got about 2 houses down and heard him yell to me in this long drawn out, PERFECT New Yorker accent, "EHHHHH. NIIIIIIIIICE SHOOOOOOOES!!!!!!"
I looked back at him and he's got that big cigar pointing at me and then waves when he sees that I saw him.
I, obviously, never forgot him. Out there helping everyone start their spring day, JUST right. Enjoy!
But first----a little past/background. Growing up in the Detroit area, with what seemed like 6 months of grey overcast skies in the winter, "Spring" always seemed far away. As my brother Dave always said--"It wasn't any amount of snow or EVEN the grey skies.....it was the cold, bitter wind that got to you after months and months." True. But there came that ONE day when it would just barely warm up---and I am talking maybe 55degrees---when it not only FELT warmer but it had all the appearances of STARTING to warm into springtime. Then, suddenly, everyone was driving around with ALL of the windows down in their cars---in t-shirts with the music blasting--and "airing it out" as the phrase went. And this was not just a phrase! I would spend every day and evening in the winter riding around in my buddy Danny Valentini's Ford LTD----with the windows up, smoking cigarettes and eating junk food with the heater on full blast. Let me tell you---that car STUNK after all of that time. A few days of exuberant driving with the fresh air blowing through the car was a welcome change. So that special day of even the possibility of warmth, had everyone feeling good and enjoying it.
So---to my story.
I was in New York City about this time, some years back. I had some jewelry business in the Diamond district and a few customers to see. I also had arranged to meet my long distance romance from London. She was the director of a museum and, as such, had numerous fund raising meetings with New York socialites. We were staying at the Hotel Tuscany on 39th St. She had a personal meeting arranged one morning with ladies FAR beyond my realm or status and I assured her that she should do that while I attended to private customers. We had a car and driver arranged and it was decided that he was to take her to her appointment and I would walk to my customers---about 5 blocks down to the river in the United Nations Building.
It was a sunny, but cool, morning. The clients I had arranged to meet were friends of a movie producer contact I knew in L.A. He had informed me that they were "financiers" and that their "apartment" in the United Nations Building was, as he put it, "epic", with a view of the river, etc, etc. I dressed accordingly in a grey 3 piece suit. I had my briefcase and decided, after waiting with my lady in front of the hotel for the car to arrive, that I would be fine with gloves and a scarf but no overcoat. With a kiss and a wave, she was off on her way---and I proceeded down 39th ST. toward the river. There seemed to be a bit more than the usual noise and yelling coming from cars and I remember it reminded me of the mentioned "day" from my youth. Windows were open and the sun was shining and the snow had melted.
As I got a few blocks along on the north side of the street, I came upon a guy out standing on his porch, smoking a big old "banker" cigar. About 8:15AM, and this guy is outside smoking this HUGE cigar. He had jet black hair---slicked back---with a black beard that reminded me of "Wolfman Jack". That kind of trimmed/along the edge of the chin beard. RayBan sunglasses on. A black Italian knit shortsleeve shirt with white embroidery panels down either side of the buttons. Black pegged pants and shiny black shoes. He's doing this bounce back and forth from shoe to shoe thing---slightly moving each foot forward as he rocks from side to side. Big smile on his face. A black towncar goes by and honks and he yells "HEY! Vinnie! What? You steal a new one, or what?" The car honked again and the driver waved and continued on. "MAXIE! Not bad, unh?" he said to another car and opened his arms up and looked around, as if to say "Nice day!"
As I came walking along, he looked at me and I said "Good Morning! Did you order this up? Nice day we got goin'" He said, "Hey, howya doin? Yeah, yeah, that's my expertise. Arrangin' nice days!" I said, "Well thanks! I got a walk down to the river. It makes it all worth while." I was now just past him. He said over my shoulder, "Enjoy! Glad to help! Anything I can do!" and laughed. I waved over my shoulder and continued on. I got about 2 houses down and heard him yell to me in this long drawn out, PERFECT New Yorker accent, "EHHHHH. NIIIIIIIIICE SHOOOOOOOES!!!!!!"
I looked back at him and he's got that big cigar pointing at me and then waves when he sees that I saw him.
I, obviously, never forgot him. Out there helping everyone start their spring day, JUST right. Enjoy!
