Tag: The Cure

Gadgets and the Kitchen Counter

Do You Have Enough Counter Space?

By Mitchell Slepian

Counter Space

If you live in a standard NYC apartment— be it in the city or the boroughs —you’re lucky if you have any counter space. My grandmother is the master of complaining about this. Her apartment has none. I have had three apartments. My current dwelling has a decent amount. The others had less. But more than grandma has. She has complained about that since I’ve known her. One of the first things she noticed and talked about when she visited my place was how much more counter space I had than she did.

She then made my grandfather count his steps as he walked through it. She was trying to figure out the square footage.  Unless you live in a beautiful Upper East or West Side apartment with a stunning kitchen with an island in the center to eat on and formal dining room, you have an eat-in kitchen and/or a tiny dining room. I have both. However, the area that could be used as a dining room is currently used for other purposes. My dad once said I should set one up for when you entertain. I said Who am I entertaining? Except for the maintenance staff, no one has been in my apartment in over three years. I am not unhappy about this situation. I prefer it because it keeps dirt out. My grandmother wondered if I really lived there. The place looks sterile. I wish it really were.

Now jumping back to my counter space. Like most of we have many things residing on them. For example, I have a crock pot. You can make more than just meatballs in it. My mom got one when I was young. All she ever made in it were meatballs. We used to joke around and say that’s all it can cook. Truth be told, you can make tons of things in it, and most of the time the food is lish (Lish is a summer camp term for delicious). Next to the crockpot is a steamer and an air fryer. Opposite the main counter is another one. It has various items chilling on it.

Next to the cooking equipment are my iPhone and Amazon Fire Tablet, along with their respective chargers. Sometimes my portable phone charger is there. It usually chills in the cabinet on my wine fridge’s table. I also have an Atari game player loaded with the games we played on the 2600 in the 1980s. No matter how much better the tech is today, those games are still the best. I’ll take Asteroids or Centipede over anything we have today.

By the sink are Dawn, a dish towel, and, of course, the utensil holder and cutting board. With all the junk we place on our counters. It is a wonder we can prep and cook our meals. Then there are the mistakes we make due to having too many gadgets.

The other day, I filled the crockpot with stew meat, barbecue sauce, celery, and carrots. I put it on high and walked away. A little while later, I walked past it. I was bewildered as to why it didn’t feel hot and heard no sounds of the sauce starting to cook. I spent a few minutes studying the situation. Then it hit me. I plugged the Fire Tablet’s cable into the outlet and walked away. I thought I had plugged in the crockpot. I made the switch. This is not the first time it has happened. Then there was the time that I nearly marinated the meat with Dawn, rather than Worcestershire sauce.

If only I still lived in an apartment with a small terrace and grill. I never had these issues when grilling. It ruled. You could throw steaks on the grill. Sit back and crank The Cure with a nice glass of wine or beer. Well, for the long-term future, that’s out of the question. So, I will either place all my electronic devices and chargers further away from my cooking equipment. Or hope that my Amazon or iPhone charger will power the air fryer, crockpot, or steamer. Dream on.

100 Years or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Does Music Make a Difference When Shooting and Editing Photos?

By Mitchell Slepian

Hello, readers. As my regulars are aware, ninety-nine percent of the time, the images in my stories have been shot and edited with my Nikon camera. As Paul Simon sings, I like to take photographs. My Kodachrome sits on a table next to an old Nikon that was a workhorse and is now out of commission.

Sheepshead Bay by Emmons Avenue – Edited to Sir Elton

When shooting and editing, I always have songs in my head. One of my all-time favorite songs is “100 Years,” the opening track on The Cure’s “Pornography” album. It might be the darkest, most goth album of all time. I listen to it nonstop. Here’s a taste of Robert Smith’s (The Cure’s founder, lead singer, and possibly the best songwriter ever) lyrics. “It doesn’t matter if we all die. Ambition in the back of a black car.” I listen to lots of other great artists. Some are happier than The Cure. Of course, some are just as dark. Here’s a partial mix: Bauhaus, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Sir Elton John, Joy Division, John Lennon (probably the best musician of all time), Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, The Psychedelic Furs, The Smiths, Siouxsie and the Banshees, U2 and The Who. And the list goes on.

Red Flower – Edited to Sir Elton

It’s not unusual for me to have some of these lyrics floating through my brain when I’m shooting. “Confusion in her eyes that says it all. She’s lost control. And she’s clinging to the nearest passerby.” – “She’s out of Control,” Joy Division “Girl of sixteen, whole life ahead of her. Slashed her wrists, bored with life. Didn’t succeed, thank the Lord.” – “Blasphemous Rumors” – Depeche Mode “Back to the howling old owls. Hunting the horny back toad” – “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” – Sir Elton and “Before you cross the street. Take my hand. Life is what happens to you. While you’re busy making other plans” – “Beautiful Boy” – John Lennon. He always nailed it. They all do.

One can be sure the songs in my head while I am shooting affect how they are taken. I might adjust the ISO and F-stop based on how I am feeling. In case you were wondering, I do not listen to music on my iPhone. I hate headphones. I used to wear my Walkman’s headphones slightly above or below my ears. Sometimes I still do that with headphones when I am Zooming or watching things on YouTube. Songs always go through my head. It gets me through the days. Or as Robert Smith says, “In Between Days.” That’s on the “Head on the Door” album.

Bees Fetching Honey – Edited to the Cure

The other day, I was editing some images from Emmons Avenue, Sheepshead Bay and the New York Botanical Garden while listening to Sir Elton. Then I switched to a mix of The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, Erasure, and Psychedelic Furs, Siouxie and the Banshees. Erasure brings back memories of camp. The Cure, Erasure, and the Furs bring back old memories of dating and driving around in my old Caddy with the girls I liked. We usually listened to those bands. My first date was to see The Cure with Love & Rockets and the Pixies as the openers. We were too young to buy beer. We shared M&M’s.  I still think about all of this when certain songs play. 

The Hanging Flower – Edited to The Cure

Look at the images and see if you can tell the difference. This was written and edited to Led Zep’s “How the West Was Won.” With final touches while listening The latest from The Cure: “Songs of a Lost World.”

What’s in Store?

The Joy of In-Store Shopping

By Mitchell Slepian

A few weeks ago, I visited Old Navy to purchase its 2025 Independence Day t-shirt and a few pairs of socks. I was leaving for Italy, and I always like to have new socks before I travel. Most of my vacations are walking intensive. Comfy socks make it the best. I wish they were Jox Sox. I wore a pair today. Does anyone remember Jox Sox? My grandmother was the queen of those. She gave us lots of pairs. I forgot to mention I was wearing them earlier when we spoke. 

It was nice being in Old Navy. Most of the time, I order from them and other online stores. Occasionally, I order in-store pickup in the Gap, Banana Republic, etc. Those who know me know I am obsessed with buying clothes. I cut that over the last few years. Working from home, all you need are shorts, sweats, and your favorite Yankee or The Cure t-shirt. Nothing’s better. The thing is, I still have clothes I wore in college. Some are back in style. Yes, they all fit me. Some are too loose. I had a super nice Ralph Lauren pink dress shirt. The cuffs were getting ratty. I needed to replace it. I ruminated. I am cutting back on that. I found a beautiful comparable shirt from Theory on Bloomingdales.com. It came. I love it. 

A few days ago, I went to Mineola for an eye exam. In the lot next to the doc’s office is Barnes & Noble. I used to be one of those people who spent tons of time there. I read a few books, bought a few, even went on a date at its Starbucks. She was off the wall. But the store is excellent. In a recent conversation, someone mentioned that they have excellent air conditioning. That’s true, and it was fun browsing the aisles. I picked up a few things and read them over the weekend. 

We know that since the COVID outbreak, retail shopping in stores nosedived. Yes, it is easier to order online. In many cases, it is less expensive. You will need to wait one to two days to receive your items. I am not so desperate that I need things instantly.

Additionally, I live an outer borough in the city and don’t have a car. So it’s not easy to schlepp stuff back on the subway and walk a few blocks to my building. Even when I’m shopping near my building, I can only carry so much.

But there is something about being in a store. Walking through Barnes & Noble was great. The store was busy, and the line was long. I saw lots of younger kids and teens racing through the toy department and flipping through books. In many cases, Mom or Dad was behind them, telling them what they would buy them—same thing at Old Navy. 

These days, shopping at stores is not without its issues. Sometimes you cannot find plain old brown or black dress socks. All the socks have crazy patterns or pictures of characters. Yeah, I have those. Additionally, I have my official Boy Scouts of America socks. My mom still teases me about those.Additionally, a two-pack of Pataday eye drops is $10 less on Amazon compared to CVS or Walgreens. When I was on vacation, I spent a lot of time in stores buying things I couldn’t find at home. It was fun. Bottom line, we should spend some more time in stores. But be smart enough to know when to buy online.

Lunch at the Office

What it Used to Be and What it is Now

By Mitchell Slepian

Pre-Covid-19, lunch at the office used to be fun. Most of us ate at our desks. Of course, there were times when we went out to lunch. Either a group from the office went to get out, or we went alone. We used to see which place had the best pizza, burger, pasta, or taco. Sometimes, we would grab something from the salad bar, deli, or fast-food joint, head back to the office, and eat in a conference room, someone’s office, or the break room.

Occasionally, we took someone out to celebrate a birthday, engagement, divorce, or promotion. At times, we met a friend who worked nearby. Or even better, had a lunch date. That was the way to do it. You and the person you were with knew you were on your lunch hour. So, you had a couple of slices and got to know each other. If it worked, you planned something. If it fell into the usual case, you returned to your desk thinking you should have gone to Walgreens at lunchtime. 

How COVID-19 Wrecked the Fun Office Lunch

Then came COVID-19. We worked from home and ate in our kitchens, dressed in Yankees or The Cure t-shirts. The Cure or Depeche Mode was cranking. Eventually, we went back to the office. Some went back full-time. Most, like me, are on a hybrid schedule. 

Back to Eating at Work

On the days I work in the city, I bring my lunch pail. I don’t slide down my dinosaur-like Fred Flintstone at lunchtime to go on my break and eat a pterodactyl bird or brontoburger. For the most part, I stick to salads. These days, most people bring their lunch. Why? Well, many of the places we used to go to are closed. It is sad to walk down NYC’s streets and see many lunch joints boarded up. Those that are still open are pricier than ever. You can make almost two- or three days’ worth of salads for what they charge for a small one with one or two add-ins. For the record, I preferred the salad bars where the hat, apron, and glove-wearing employee made your salad v. all-you-can-eat, slop everything into a dish salad bar, and weighed at the register stores. Too many people used their grubby hands to load up their bowls. 

The Office Breakroom – Scary It Can Be

Let’s discuss the office’s break room. You remember those. It is a tiny or decent-sized room with a refrigerator or two, a filthy microwave, a beat-up toaster oven, a grime-filled sink, a Keurig and water cooler for hot water for the tea drinkers, and cold water to quench your thirst. The vending machines never work. You used to lose your dollar bills. You still lose them. But now you can tap your phone to pay with Apple Pay, and your M&M’s or Pepsi don’t come out of the machine. The room usually has napkins, paper towels, plates, coffee, and other cups, roaches and paper plates. People sometimes sit on chairs that are not rocking chairs. But the chairs rock. The chairs are placed by beat up tables that shake. The Department of Labor rules and the emergency escape plan are somewhere on the wall. Don’t forget the fire extinguisher. It’s probably not working. Good luck if there’s a fire.

Let’s go to the office refrigerator. Have you ever gone in to get your sandwich and couldn’t find it? Years ago, it happened to me. It was in a Barnes & Noble bag. Remember that store? I didn’t see the bag and thought someone had stolen my lunch. It happens. What boggles my mind is it was a homemade sandwich. I would be less upset if someone stole my lunch from the store. I would never steal anyone’s lunch. But it makes more sense to steal something that a store prepared. You have no idea what the person’s kitchen looks like. It could look like a slop pit. At the local bodega, you usually see the people crafting your meal. Sometimes, I’ve walked into those stores and right out after a quick look around. You probably have never seen the person’s home kitchen. Worse, the sandwich could have been made by someone picking their nose while slapping the roast beef onto the roll.

Let us return to my stolen bag. I went down to a store and bought lunch. Yeah, I looked around. The store was fine. I returned to the fridge to get something out and saw my sandwich. The person stole my Barnes & Noble bag. Not my lunch. Someone needed a bag. Why steal from the office fridge? They should have gone to the mailroom or reception area where there were many bags. Someone said maybe they wanted it to be used as a gift bag, and it looked nicer than the typical plastic or paper bag. Who knows? 

Also, did you ever see what was in the office fridge? Some salads have turned colors other than green. The sandwiches had moldy blue bread. The office milk might have been sitting there since the flood. People keep liquids in containers that resemble the water on the tracks of NYC’s subway. Sometimes, the aroma you get when you open the doors could knock you out. Take a quick peek in the freezer. Sometimes, there is ice. It is often covered in crumbs or pieces of who knows what. 

Then there are those people who bring their lunch in bowls or dishes. Did you ever watch them stand by the sink after they eat? They stand there for what seems like an hour. No one else can get near the sink while they are there. Ah, come on, people, give it a quick spray of soap and water and toss it in your bag. You will get much cleaner in your kitchen sink or dishwasher at home—the same for your coffee mug or teacup. Many people keep those at their desks or in a cabinet in the office kitchen. You can give those a little more cleaning love. But do it quickly. How could you keep a personal mug in a cabinet with other people’s mugs? Some could touch it or grab it by mistake.

Who wants to meet for lunch?   

Alana’s in Pain

Alana’s looked like she was about to burst. She and Marc were chilling in his camp. Why they were there, no one knew. Even they couldn’t figure out why they weren’t home. The two had no clue where the nearest hospital was. Marc remembered a few hospital runs in camp after they went to Action Park. Someone always got hurt.

They had a mix of Adele, Joy Division, the Cure, U2, and Depeche Mode playing, and even a little Billy Joel, Elton John, the Ramones, and Beatles made the setlist. The fire was burning. The weather was perfect. Marc kissed her. He was very nervous. Their doctor didn’t know of their powers. They had no idea what would happen when the baby was born. They did their best research by reading Star Wars books.

Alana’s water broke. She was in the leanto that Marc slept in during his summer years. She was on the floor on top of a green blanket. The cots were long gone. She started to scream. March began to shake. Wi-Fi was nonexistent in this part of the camp. Due to the connectivity issue, they couldn’t find a video on YouTube showing how to deliver a baby. It was too late for Marc to get her into the car and use Google Maps to guide them to a hospital.

Alana’s face was redder than a tomato. Marc was pretending to be an OB/GYN. She screamed. No one heard her. Or maybe someone did. Suddenly lightning flashed. She cried. Clueless, Marc was holding her ankles. He almost fell. As Marc was falling, a hand pushed him back up. He freaked. He turned around and saw the Woodsman with his herd of buffalo. The Woodsman motioned to Marc, who stepped away. A buffalo waltzed up to Alana. It looked at her. Alana’s eyes froze. She laughed. Suddenly, a boy and a girl popped out. They were perfect.

Fire

Marc and Alana went to celebrate Lag B’Omer. Marc built the fire. He was not pleased. He was a master fire builder. Too many super-religious folks got in his way. He was anxious and annoyed. But finally, some of the cute kids made him smile. Of course, Alana was there looking hot in her all-black clothes and makeup. The two of them do not like rabbis. Toss in HR and real estate people. Anyway, the rabbi had to play religious music. Alana had her iPhone cranking Joy Division and Bauhaus. The fire lasted. But not long enough. But too many people thought you just keep feeding and pouring olive oil on it. It was a comedy of errors. The food usually was delicious. Sadly, the temple screwed that up, too. It was so dry.

Marc lit the fire hung with his friends, and sat hand in hand with Alana. Many people were upset with them. They are not married. They will never wed. Marc, at one point, wanted to get Alana a ring. He knew that would end their relationship. He would need many sessions with the Woodsman if that happened. We know the Woodsman rarely comes out. The rabbi was selling candles and trying. Marc and Alana were in the back of the yard, hiding from everyone and acting like teens in love. Their lips were locked, and their hands were all over each other. You could hear the Cure and New Order cranking from Alana’s phone.

The two didn’t anticipate any fighting that night. They were ready. They always are. Anat was having a nicer Lag B’Omer on the Upper East Side. Ben and Gillil helped build the fire. Dan ran the grill. All was quiet. How long would it last?

Anat Gives Birth

Anat’s water broke. Dan was by her side. They were both nervous. Anat knew she could handle this. She did not understand how her powers would interact with the birthing process. She had no clue if it would be harder or easier. She went to the hospital. Funny, she remembers how she attacked Jen when she was giving birth to Ben. Anat was so upset that the girl who teased her in camp was married and having a kid.

Anat texted Marc and Alana to tell them what was going on. The two rushed to the hospital. She texted Jen, who raced to pick up and babysit Jerry.

With Dan by her side, Anat gave birth to a girl. Anat held her and started to cry. Dan was happier than ever. They would do the naming soon, and Anat sent images to all her friends. She asked them not to post on social media. She hated it. She held the little kid with all of her heart. She looked into the baby’s eyes. She spoke to her. She was so happy. But she had to figure out what powers this infant possessed. She knows what it’s like with Jerry and his abilities. She wondered if her new child would be more powerful. The doctor gave the baby a clean bill of health and said they could go home in a little while. Anat had a black baby basket and outfit ready. Dan hoped he could paint his daughter’s room pink and was worried the first music she’d hear would be the Cure or Bauhaus. Ultimately, he didn’t care. Dan was so happy to have a baby with Anat and knew what a great mother she already was. He had to work on the party after the naming.

The family left the hospital and headed home to show Jerry his sisters. Jay was lingering around outside and started throwing glass. Dan pulled his gun out and wanted to apprehend him. Suddenly, he saw his newborn shake in her basket. She was spinning; out of the basket came potato pancakes and jelly. The kid was shooting them out of her eyes. Jay was nailed in the head and fell to the ground. The baby raised her tiny arm and opened her hands. Lentils and rice flew out of her little hands. Jay ran. Dan knew he had his hands full.

Marc is Busy at Work

Marc was sitting in his office. He was pleased that his website updates took. He began writing some corporate statements. He has yet to respond to the headhunter from the other day. The job market sucks. So, who knows what roles are real and lasting? It’s too bad he can’t be a superhero for hire. He goes about his business and takes of business. He often has to work solo. But loves it when he and Alana tag team. Toss in Anat and Jerry, and they are unstoppable. They are their version of the Fantastic Four.

Everything was so quiet. It was late Friday morning. Marc was wondering what he and Alana would do Friday night. She’d light candles. She probably got the usual takeout dinners. The two of them sometimes cooked. It was an experience.

Alana texted him that she just bought a challah and was gonna cook salmon. Marc texted back his approval. The market was tanking. What else is new? The Cure was cranking on YouTube. “Disintegration” came on. It brought him back to the 80s and his first date. He took Laura to see the Cure at the former Giants Stadium. The Pixies and Love and Rockets opened. It was a night of darkness. They loved it. The two were too young to buy beer. They shared M&Ms and held hands. She kept saying how angelic Robert Smith’s voice sounded. Still does. He remembered Depeche Mode dates with Dina and Erasure with another girl. And all the shows he saw with Alana. They will continue to see many more. Of course, he saw a few shows with Jen. Some of these women were camp girls. Not his. He went to an all-boys camp. The girls went to the typical jappy camps. Anat and Jen met and had their first fight at one of those camps. It was the only time Jen ever beat Anat. She didn’t yet have her powers. For the girls in those camps, it was who had better clothes. The guys in those camps weren’t much different. Marc was more rustic and met the best people ever.

His group was extraordinary. Anat fights with dried fruit. This delicacy played a significant role in Marc’s camp. As did dairy products, voodoo, and resting. Sometimes things went wrong. But everyone was always very apologetic for their wrongdoings.

Just as “People are People” came on, Marc hit send on the document to senior leadership. He anxiously awaited their response. He sipped his water and again checked MarketWatch. The Dow was lower than earlier. Don’t even think about the NASDAQ.

About an hour or so later, his inbox lit up with comments. Minor edits were made, and the document was approved and scheduled to go live Monday morning. Marc grabbed his coat and headed to the subway.

He approached the station and saw some madman spitting at people. He usually stayed away from these crazies. He knew he could stop them. But too many people filmed these individuals.

A young child was spit on. The guy was throwing things out of his pockets. The kid’s mom was in tears. She looked like a sweet young woman. She was dressed like the girls from the camps Marc’s girlfriends went to. Alana didn’t bother with camp. She only went one summer. Alana was the mixed-up cutey in all black. She kept to herself and listened to Joy Division. She’s still mourning Ian Curtis’ death.

Marc couldn’t let this kid get hurt. His mom was shaking. He walked up to the perp. He told him to stop and leave the poor little boy alone. The guy tossed a bottle at Marc. He then launched a decrepit old sweater. Marc ducked. The guy got closer to him. Marc shot pomegranates out of his eyes. He loved the feeling. He always wondered what Palpatine felt like when he was shooting Force lightning. The assailant fell back. He rose back up. Marc nailed him with honey. It hit him in the eyes. He fell back. Marc fired a few pomegranates and wished Alana was here to fire her apples, wine, and figs. Marc saw that guy was not getting up anytime soon. People were circling the nut and taking pictures. Marc used that as his chance to run down the stairs and catch his train.

Pomegranate — 21 Marc has a date, Alana is taunted

Jen and Jake were at Terminal 5 to see Simple Minds. Marc was there, too. He was with his new friend, Miriam. She was a typical JAP. He had liked and disliked those women. But he was trying anything to get out of the Alana-Jen web. He hated general admission SRO shows. Years ago, he had a bad experience at Irving Plaza while seeing the B-52s.

Alana was there. She was with Brad, some guy she met a few days ago. He was a low key guy. She could easily control him. He probably wanted it. Tzipora was lurking around. She was solo.

None of the “friends” saw each other. A great mix of the Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Roxy Music, and Bauhaus was playing. Alana was pleased. She was also yearning for a little Duran Duran in the pre-show tracks.

The line to the ladies’ room was unbearable. The women were waiting. None of them were too far away from each other. But their eyes never met.

Jim Kerr took the stage. The audience went wild. Marc and Miriam were drinking Sierra Nevada Pale Ales. Jen was sipping Rum and diet Pepsi. Her beau was drinking water. Cute. But lame. Alana was pissed they had no Arak. But was doing shots of Grey Goose. Tzipora was dancing away with her Brooklyn Lager.

The audience was singing along as they were sanctifying themselves. Marc and Miriam were embraced. Alana was sort of happy. She was in complete control. But at a loss. This was too easy for her. Her mind drifted to Marc. Then Tzipora. Then she looked at Brad. Too clean cut. But has some sort of sex appeal. She needed to get to know him better. They needed to have conversations and understand each other.

As the band started strumming, “Belfast Child,” Marc’s eyes scanned the room. He saw Jen dancing with Jake and Alana holding Brad’s hand. He was happy. Yet not.

Alana pushed her way with Brad closer to the stage. He followed like a puppy. She smacked right into Marc. They looked at each other and sneered.

“Do you know her, “inquired Miriam? “Whatcha gonna say, Marc,” belted out Alana?

Marc stuttered. “Hmm, yes, we’ve known each other for most of our lives.”
“Marc I’m surprised at you. Look at her. She’s so not your type.” Marc shivered.

“What’s wrong with her, Miriam?”

“Well look at me and her. Tell me what do you see?”

Meanwhile, Jen was dancing like the daffy girl she is. But she was feeling good. Then she saw the others. She sensed they were getting ready for a brawl. She wasn’t sure what she should do. Should she stay where she was? Or should she get herself closer? But why would she want to ruin a potentially good new relationship? Jake is a good guy. He had a decent job and seems to care about Jen. But after all, Jen is Jen. So she and Jake walked toward the others.

While this was going on Tzipora was trying to hook up with some guy. She was also eyeing a petite blonde female.

“I see a beautiful woman.”

Miriam laughed. “Look at how she’s dressed.”

“What’s the matter, girl? Did you not expect to see goth girls at tonight’s show? Did you daddy buy your clothes? And all of your jewelry? Are they paying your mortgage?”

“Marc I think we need to move away. This girl is batty.”

Marc stood frozen. “You’re very pretty, Miriam. Alana and I go way back.”

“That’s right we do. He took me to his special places, such as his summer camp. I’m sure you went to one of those camps where they did your laundry and made your bed.”

“Marc I know we are just getting to know each other. And you should be thankful  you are sipping drinks and are dancing with me. Not this freak.”

Jen was taking it all in. She grabbed Jake and started kissing him. The band played.

“Hey, girlie, you’re the freak. Maybe we should compare notes? I’m sure he and I have more in common.”

Marc tried to calm the two ladies. But couldn’t. Miriam was tipsy. She clearly couldn’t handle her alcohol.   Despite her shots, Alana was stone-cold sober. Marc grabbed Miriam. She started screaming. She threw her drink at Alana. The beer spilled all over Alana’s new skirt. The bottle cracked onto the floor. Pieces of glass hit Alana’s legs. Marc was petrified. He knew he had to get Miriam out of the club. She stood no chance. Another girl lost. Or not.

Of course, Simple Minds closed their show with “Don’t you forget about me”.

Pomegranate — Book 9

 

Alana hasn’t slept well in days. But she was up early and off to work. She was heading to her Soho office. She got off the R-train and bought a bagel from a street vendor.

As always, her mind was occupied with Marc. Boy did she have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Tack on her general anxiety disorder and she could really be a mess. A hot mess. Despite her goth looks and beliefs, she did get along with most people. She just needed to be in control.

She entered her building and went to the elevator. Her iPhone started playing “Cut You Up.” She started to shake. That was Marc’s text tone. Was this real? She was spooked. Her hand shook as she opened the text. What her dream was writing? She had no clue why after so many years she was still head over heels for him. They briefly dated. But had so much in common. Especially their love of Joy Division, Bauhaus and the Cure.

“Hey, Alana.”

Why didn’t he write more? But he wrote. She was pleased. Yet distressed. Her knees started to shake. She bit into her bagel.

Her boss was his usual cheery self. He wasn’t a bad guy. They got along. But like all, she got on his nerves. And now she had that text to think about. And think about it she did. That’s all she thought of. What does he want? She wasn’t ready to text him back and fall into a trap. They’ve been in each other’s trap since the third grade.

The lunchtime hour struck. She went outside to the corner deli. She was still thinking about what she’d say in her reply to Marc. Someone ran into her as the crossed the street. She moved away and figured it was just a tourist who didn’t know how to walk in NYC. She kept walking to the store. But the woman who smacked her went after her again. She tried to stay calm. But was so tense. She looked at the woman right in the eye.

The woman went into her coat pocket and looked like she was pulling out a gun. Alana didn’t want to get shot. She was feeling a connection to Marc. Alana’s arm bulged. As her hand opened the crazy lady whipped out a razor blade and tried to slash Alana’s throat. Alana ducked and when she got up she lunged a bushel of apples at the woman. They hit her square in the jaw and her head. She hit the concrete hard. Alana didn’t stop. She was enraged. She usually just beat her foe and left. The woman was screaming so loud. Naturally, people were shooting shots with their mobiles. Finally, Alana walked off.

People tried to follow her. But as a typical New Yorker, she was in all black and blended in well with the foot traffic. She whipped out her phone and texted, “Marc, it’s me. Meet for a beer at PJ Clarke’s on 55th and Third?” She thought for a moment or two and hit send.