Tuesday, July 29, 2008

chapter 19

the first 18 chapters took 40 years.  you may be familiar with some of the highlights from earlier pages.  6th grade band concerts, project england in 8th, and all the collegiate chapters.  we've come to chapter 19...only took 40 years.  

i arrived in the city yesterday afternoon.  and there was a symphony to accompany my arrival.  we've probably all heard it.  the captain of my united flight was the conductor, the passengers the orchestral players...and all the cell phones were the instruments.  the conductor taps his baton as the plane touches down.  he then comes on the intercom, striking the downbeat of the orchestra saying, "you may now turn on your cell phones."  And with that, the united philharmonic springs to life with beeps and short melodies as once dead circuits surge with battery driven power.  some of the players are lucky to hear the tunes that reveal new messages.  i was among the fortunate few with the ding of new text messages.  it was beautiful. 
 
made my way to the baggage carousel and found my luggage quickly.  took a bus to the port authority and had a nice conversation with a young man attending the culinary institute of america.  he would like to work for a family where he could be a live in chef.  maybe when i strike it rich i could hire him.  i'm sure i could instruct him on the finer points of velveeta preparation.  or perhaps he's already had a class in that.   i'm not sure if that would be covered in culinary undergraduate courses.  could be grad level.  i know i'd be a good professor.  

once at the port authority, jason met me and took me to my home for the next 6 weeks.  lovely apartment with plants on the balcony in a building filled with actors and artists.  i met divina in the elevator on my way to the 26th floor.  she's about to take the bar exam.  her father is an actor.  

since my cousin was in town and staying at the waldorf, i figured i'd subway over there and enjoy the evening with family.  wouldn't you know, the whole credit card mechanism for the entire metro network was down, so i couldn't get the month-long metro card.  started walking...not too bad really.  i'm at 43rd and 9th...the waldorf is at 51st and lexington.  i found myself next to someone while i walked so i asked if she was local.  "yes."  so i asked what a taxi would cost from times square to the waldorf.  she said it would be about five bucks, but that it wouldn't be a bad walk.  so i sucked it up and walked...in my trousers, sport coat, and not so great walking shoes in the 80 degree early evening new york mugginess.  
the waldorf is lovely.  opulent is a good descriptor.  right up there with the broadmoor in colorado springs but smack dab in the middle of the city.  met asheley in the lobby and we went to grand central station which has a market that is out of control!  great foods, cheeses, wine, meats, fruit...she ate well for our late dinner.  i had pizza...which seemed to me to be eating well, too.  after a fun evening, i strolled back to times square and slightly west to the apartment where i'm staying.  


chapter 19 is underway.  the pages will slowly fill
 and spill over into new ones.  what will this day be like?  i wonder.  what will my future bring?  i wonder.  

3 comments:

Trinity Presbyterian Church said...

Mark, you made it! What an awesome specatcle to see your leap of faith residing in the east coast, in a completely different time zone, where the pizza is real...I hope you continue to keep us all updated as your journey and dance with our God continues through the streets of the big apple! God bless brother...

Joy Nelson said...

And....He's off!!! I love your accounts, Mark! Keep 'em coming. You're in my prayers, fo sho. Miss you like crazy too. I find myself rather....jealous.

PiperGal said...

Just steer clear of the Julie Andrews songs when compiling your audition portfolio, and you'll go far... :-)