Apple Drizzle Milkshake

I'm pretty sure the subway guard didn't finish pre-school. If he had he probably would have been logical enough to let me through the gate.

On my way home, I had just swiped my card and walked through the turnstiles when my phone rang. In order to receive maximum cell phone signal, I left the loading area and exited out the turnstiles walking back up to daylight. After I finished my conversation I went back toward the baffle gates, swiped my card and went no where.

"Just recently used," stated the digital screen.

As the arm wasn't moving and the machine resisted all efforts to tell me more, I went up to the booth with the burly man inside and inquired about my card. His response - "Why did you answer your phone?" I am not quite sure how that related to my inactive status, but I explained myself. "Umm...I had a call come in?" (Is he trying to trick me? I wasn't trying to be smart, but he seemed genuinely puzzled that I answered my phone and left.)

"Well, now you can't get back in?" he said in a defeated tone.

(Wait, wait. I know this one!) "Correct. And I purchased the unlimited monthly pass. Do you know why this won't work now?"

"You have to wait 18 minutes in between swipes. That's the policy. You're stuck now."

"Umm...thanks?"

Not wanting to waste my time with someone who was obviously unsympathetic to my plight. I decided to walk home and see how far I could get in 18 minutes. If I wasn't close to home at that point, I would catch a train.

I got to 72nd Street and decided that as I was not yet halfway and it had already been a half of an hour, I left the streets and took the stairs to catch a train home. This time I was real careful to make sure I got in and stayed in.

I did appreciate the opportunity to experience more of the city. How many other times will I have in my life to walk through the city without cares or kids? I didn't have to worry about someone getting into the street, or about my fast gait. I set my own pace and enjoyed the fresh air. I can see how the subway policy is important to deter abuse of the unlimited privilege, but the New York subway system gets an F for customer service. And the New York streets get an A for freshness.



Tonight, Marcus and I decided to visit the Apple Store. It is right in front of FAO Schwarz. Well, it's kind of in front of FAO Schwarz, but more below it. It is in the ground. You enter in this glass vestibule and proceed forth down a glass staircase or a glass elevator. You know at the end of the X-Men movie where Magneto is in that glass/plastic prison? That's what this is except it's a magical place in between dreams where style and technology meet and write all the Beatles music. Once Yoko came on the scene they started making computers and Apple was born.

So we nerded out there for a bit. I still want two of everything. One for me, and one for my PC friend, Jeff DuBois.

After entertainment euphoria passed Marcus was hungry, so we set off past the empires of Madison Avenue in search of BRGR for a milkshake. It ended up being seven blocks away, and the rain didn't stop. My pants and shoes collected more water than they repelled.



The place was hip and colorful, and the milkshakes were good. I just wish they gave me more. I always wish they would give me more.



The way home required 11 blocks of drizzle. Our lower appendages and body units were as sloshed as the Mad Men that exited the Lexington lounges in search of a dry cab ride home. I told Marcus I didn't mind being out in the rain. You see a different side of people in the rain. And the buildings look different too. The haze illuminates the area around lights, and gives everything a submersed feeling. Almost like the farther you look up the less it looks like there is actually open air past the precipitation and the clouds from which that precipitation originates. Like the submarine pod that discovered the Titanic in the dark, you see only as far as the light. Everything else is unknown.

But I think it made walking around and laughing with a good friend in one of the coolest Cities in the world more enjoyable.