The NYC Chronicles

Day 1: TUESDAY

Day one, being Tuesday, was not too eventful. We left for the airport at about 8:30 in the morning, but had a few stops to make before we left for the airport (this is relevant and necessary to know). When we were at Medicine Man picking up a prescription, I got a call from Aunt Kelly. She said that Shelby, Jackie, and Donny had a present to give me before I left. When I told her we were already on our way, she expressed her disappointment: the kids had picked out a stuffed animal that they wanted me to take with me and take pictures with it all the places I went. SO she agreed to meet us in a parking lot and we quickly drove to pick up this (what I assumed to be) small, non-offensive teddy bear. What we found was definitely not small and by no means un-offensive. It was a larger than life, bright green, singing Kermit the Frog.  Mom wanted to leave it in CDA, but I, not wanting to disappoint the kids, agreed to let it take up the room I had left for some cute boots or a knock-off designer bag.

            SO. With Kermit safely stuffed away, we began our journey to the Big Apple. We had about a two hour layover in LA, then a six hour flight to Islip. Mom had arranged for a sort of private cab service to pick us up in Islip, then drive us into the City, a drive of about an hour and a half. So there we were, standing at the curb at about eleven thirty at night, with the understanding that our driver would be there shortly. Every time a likely looking car would drive up, we would get ready to put our bags (which were PLENTIFUL) into the trunk, but apparently none of the first cars we saw were ours. THEN a limo appeared. I poked mom in the side and said ‘Hey, maybe that’s ours!’ She told me that it wasn’t: that she had reserved what would probably be a shuttle-like van. So imagine our surprise when the limo stops right in front of us! AH! A limo!! Yeah, it was ours. So our driver, Michael, got out and packed our bags away while we climbed in. Michael later told us that it was brand new, and we were on her maiden voyage. Michael was HILARIOUS! And Italian. I told him he should try out for that show ‘Last Comic Standing’. He said he had before and was going to keep on trying. I really hope he makes it. But he told us some good jokes, good places to eat, and tips about how to get the best knock off purses on Canal Street. He did a REALLY good Chinese accent. Well we got to our room at about 1:00 in the morning, but what person on this earth who is a) in NYC b) staying at a hotel SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE of times square, and c) on a schedule 3 hours behind anyway wants to go to bed at one in the morning? NOT US!  So we went and walked around Times Square, which was (relatively) empty, but still about as crowded as downtown CDA on a regular day. And then eventually (and by eventually, I mean about two in the morning) our wanderings lead us back to our hotel room where we crashed on our beds, exhausted from a full day of travel and the hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps.