"BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY"
This is the first installment of what we have decided to call...MONDAY MATINEE ON THE COUCH
To quote from the Grateful Dead's song Truckin'...
"WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEEN..."
After graduating college, it was back to mom and dad's for a couple of years to get some dough together. Hey our first job paid a whopping $7,500.00 a year.
Then about a year later we got offered a job with a huge salary... never would we have to worry about money again...$11,000.00!
That was when it was decided that a move into Manhattan with a commuter friend of mine, Frank was in order. We had a loft on 22nd Street in between 1st and 2nd avenues. Great location, 10 blocks from my office, so within walking distance.
We flipped a coin and THE COUCH won, getting the bedroom downstairs and Frank had the loft. It had 2 bathrooms a nice size living room and a good kitchen for me to cook in.
In both the living room and bedroom were sliding glass doors onto an iron balcony that was about 2 feet wide, but HEY, you could stand outside!
The building had an interesting mix of occupants. On the first floor was an apartment with 5 flight attendants (they were stewardesses back then).
On our floor, we had a pimp who lived there with one of his ladies, two drug dealers and a "Call Girl." She lived next door.
She had an apartment where she worked from on Sutton Place. This apartment was her home, and she never did business there.
THE COUCH NOTE: Sutton Place in Manhattan was a very upscale street with million dollar townhomes, even back then.
We actually became friends with her and would have her over for dinner on those nights she was not working. Nothing ever happened...she was actually very educated and a great person.
In our building was an upscale health club that had a sun area below us. We lived on the top floor...floor six.
Out our balcony we looked upon a 20 story apartment building. It was probably 40 yards away. One weekend, one of my HS buddies was in the city to go out and hit the clubs with me.
Sunday morning THE COUCH woke up and walked into the living room to find him sitting on the couch staring out the glass doors.
Asking what he was looking at, he turned with this huge smile on his face. "Your neighbor across the way is cleaning her apartment and she is stark naked."
"Has she seen you?" we asked. "Absolutely, she was not naked at first and she looked across and waved and then went out of sight and came back naked" was his reply.
As he said that, she reappeared. AND WAVED AGAIN...
This became a routine for her each Saturday. One Saturday, well let's just say we did not let her clean alone...
And one New Year's Eve she and her roommate were having a party and so were we, and we waved and they came over for a drink at one point...we never talked again...but Saturdays...ahhh Saturdays!
There was another weekend..that sticks in my mind. It was mid day and there was a bang at the door.
Being the only one home THE COUCH got up from watching a Yankee game on TV and looked through the peep hole. Not seeing anything we opened the door. There on the ground was a woman, who was obviously drunk.
We looked down the hall and it was empty. At that moment the door at the other end of the floor opens and here comes Roger (the pimp - who was always pleasant and always said hello).
He stops in his tracks and say "Having a problem there Vinny?" "Not me man, she was here when I opened the door." He kneels down and says "Ah, I saw her, she is from down the hall, she came in for the weekend from Toronto and is at Steves" (a guy who lived on our floor, who I really did not know). "Well what do we do?" was my question.
At that point Roger notices a wad of bills in her bra, removes them and hands me $100.00 and says "Go back inside, I will deal with it." and proceeds to lift her to take her back to the other apartment.
Cue music... da da da dum dum the stores...da da da dum dum times square...da da da dum dum (hello) city life...
We began dating a woman at work - she was actually married, though separated. But then we also started dating one of the flight attendants.
Frank's dad got sick at one point and they brought him into NYC to a hospital a few blocks from us. This meant that his mom moved in with us for over two months.
This put some pressure on our relationship and when his dad was released from the hospital Frank moved out and one of my fraternity brothers moved in.
Around this time, we also changed jobs and the "affair" with the married lady ended.
The relationship with the flight attendant also ended and she started dating my new roommate. It was a tad awkward at first, but they were happy and there was another woman in our life, another woman going through a divorce and who we worked with. This got serious and at a point, she moved in.
And then the flight attendant moved in also. The four of us living together.. sort of cozy wouldn't you say!
Now, none of them could cook a lick, so that was my responsibility. One night it was late when THE COUCH arrived home from work, and when we walked in the three of them were smiling like cheshire cats. "We have dinner all ready, we wanted to surprise you, it just needs to be cooked."
Well this was a welcome thing, as the day had taken a lot out of us. So, walking into the kitchen something looks odd. They had "prepared" chicken parmigiana.
Only problem is they had layered raw chicken and covered it with cheese and gravy!
We ate very late that night as we had to take it all apart, clean the chicken and then start from scratch. It was the last time any of them were allowed in the kitchen except to clean up!
These were happy times.. but they would not last....
More to come...
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Keep that spark of insanity kids...It helps keep you an individual.
SONG INDEX: Source: allmusic.com
BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY: Composers: George Davis & John Taylor
Anxiously awaiting chapter two...
I LOVE this!!!
Oh I like this story..can not wait for it to continue. It was always my dream, as a young adult woman, to live and work in NYC, I wish I had followed that dream. Vince, what a great time you had! Such an interesting life. hmmmmm possibly a book hidden in here...LOL!
Sounds fun.
My friend told me a story last week: Picture this if you will - She's staying with her fella in his ground floor flat - and she sleeps in the buff. She gets up to get a drink in the morning and looks up to see the bin men staring in at her...
And she did just what your naked lady did - she waved at them.
Sometimes she really makes me proud!
V,
Thank you for this insight into your life. I can't wait to continue to read on about your life's happenings.
By New York apartment standards, I have a feeling that apartment would be fetching close to a million by now, even with the pimp living next door or heck especially for that reason.
Even though happier times may feel that they are behind you. They are not, once again you will be happy and I have that sincere and warmest wish for you. You are a great man and know that you deserved incredible things in life and that one day they will come to you.
Plops on the Couch--waiting for the next installment.....
My first 'real' job (20 years ago) paid $9,998 a year. Oh my, I was livin' large! LOL!
SONGBIRD... You may have noticed, we changed the opening slightly.. now this is our MONDAY MATINEE Series.. Thanks
COCO: OOOH enthusiasm we likey
TOP: Well... what can you do but go with the flow!
DIANA: OH, if it were for sale..probably... renting - as we were - probably $2500 or more a month and back then it was $750.00!
Thanks for the words of encouragement...
TURN: leave room for others dear!
BUSY: Funny how we remember those things isn't it!
Wow...I'm going to enjoy this series!
My first job paid 2.42 an hour...fast food industry....
*plops down on The Couch next to Turn and Busy... anxiously waiting for the next story* If I fall asleep, make sure you wake me for the next story. Geez... being off work for more than a week as spoiled me...
JULIE: I had a couple of those in HS and college.. but this was my first "grown up" job!
DIXIE: Smooch... gee a little holiday and you disappear.. sheesh
I love it! Seriously, I'd LOVE to live in NYC for awhile...just to experience every little bit of it. Awesome.
Having grown up in Boston, I spent many weekends in Manhattan...except for Paris, it's my favorite place in the world. What a City and love your take on living there. Look forward to the next chapter.
TUG: It was fun-expensive but fun.
TERRI: thanks.. glad you are enjoying
*plops down on the couch, on which there is plenty of room, next to Turn, Busy and Dixie and demands popcorn*
ANNDI: Be nice and ask politely..you know the rules!
Hey!!! Anndi, Turn, Busy and Dixie: any room on that Chesterfield for me???? Fascinating stuff here...
Just one thing I wanna know about the nekkid neighbor, Vinny...were you and Frank "masters of your domain"????????
Hmmm, that's quite the story, Bond! Me thinks I see a sitcom in there! **goes to write the pilot to "Vinny's Place"** LOL Oh, and, Pia, you know the answer to that! Of course, they weren't "masters of their domain!" They're not disciplined enough! Heeheehee!
PIA: I am always the Master...
MERI: No cribbing from my life dear.. plus it gets better... LOL
I am very discipling ....
I am LOL picturing the "prepared" Chicken Parmesan. hehehe
Hahaha! What a wonderful story. Sounds like you sure had some very exciting and cozy times with your friends.
Getting caught up here - love the story - it's got me on the edge of my seat.....
Absolutely loving the insight into the COUCH....makes for interesting material.
TIGERPRR: Oh it was even more pathetic in real life...
LIZZA: TY.. more to follow...
ANGELL: You sure I don't have to worry about stalkers?
LOL
My first job paid a little over 3 dollars an hour I think, at a local rinky-dink grocery store, IGA. I learned to live on cereal, and it's a good thing I was living with one of my older coworkers, the deli lady, lol!
Great stories! Sounds like you have had a very interesting life. I'll be back for more for sure!
MERT: AH those first jobs! Befrending the deli lady was a smart move...
Come on back every day, but Monday we will continue