5/5
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| Mister Softee. Right outside my window. |
Right outside my window. That unmistakable sound. Mister Softee is here! Right on my street! Let’s be honest. In a usual summer, I may get maybe get a Mister Softee once. If I’m going to risk the calories, I’m going for a quality gelato or at worst, a visit to Friendly’s in Robbinsvile, New Jersey with my mom in the mall across form her assisted care facility. But this deep into coronavirusworld I need something that reminds me of the simplest normal, in this case a chocolate dipped vanilla soft serve. So I leave the writing I’m knee-deep in and head outside to meet Mister Softee.
It’s Cinco de Mayo. And yes, I’m aware of the, shall we say, constructed quality of Cinco de Mayo. It's how we Americans do things.We signify. Irish? St. Paddy's and green beer. German heritage night at the ballpark? Lederhosen and dirndls. Mexicans? Cinco de Mayo! My boys in Brooklyn are cooking tacos, I need tacos too so I decide to go to Cantina, my local taqueria just north of Central Park. When I see the size of the line, I decide I’ll finish my walk first and catch Cantina on my way home. I head into the Park, around the Meer and then up Fifth Avenue, but without stopping at Maxwell’s this time. Time has an uncertain quality. As I pass by the New Ebony Hotel a contingent of NYPD cops is resolutely leaving the building. There must be a story. The line at Cantina is still long.
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| In line at Cantina |
After a couple of minutes we move inside where a long line of people snakes around the perimeter o of the premises. The manger looks up from the bar and in an anxious voice asks everyone after the first five to leave. He escorts us outside. expressing his fear of a social distancing bust. So we line up.. When I finally get back in, a woman seems to think that because she only wants a drink and no food she can just cut in. That’s not the way this works. After rising tensions, people decide to let her get her drink and leave. The manager is stressed enough. He tells us our orders will take at least 45 minutes. He had to let his whole staff go. Couldn’t bring them back for just me night. It’s just he and another guy. Motorcycle delivery guys and one lone bicyclist keep arriving for delivery orders. The system is not always clear. to reward our patience, the manager passes out shooters of tequila to the half dozen of us in the bar. I try to figure out how to drink one with my mask. Can’t be done. Outlaw bandana, yes. Mask no. I step outside, lift the mask off and down the shooter. And then slowly enjoy a blood orange margarita.
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| El cinco de mayo de feliz! |
I've got enough time to go home and call my mom before returning for my tacos.
Seems a friend in Florida has mailed me some 30 homemade masks in various sizes, more than I'd ever use. I figure their intention is to help New York City and they're counting on me to to get them to the right place. I'll do my best....
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| a gift of masks |
I’m thinking of the manager. His employees. How many will make it through to the end. It's another year until the next Cinco de Mayo.
I’lll do my reading for tomorrow reflection group and call it a night.
Salud, dinero y amor. Pero por ahora.salud es suficiente.
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| The only beer for El Cinco de Mayo 2020 |
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