I leave the apartment, checking three times for my keys, wallet, and phone and running back downstairs at least twice. Outside, I immediately realize how much hotter it is on the street than on our patio—a phenomenon I am sure can be explained somehow by global warming. Walking passed the assisted living home, large black men greet me with Spanish words I have come to accept as terms of endearment, i.e.) mamasita and si si senorita. Then the homeless man on his chair outside of Adinah's tips his hat and exclaims, "Hello Darling!" and I nod in response.
Walking on, I cross avenue C where the light never changes and pedestrians always have the right-of-way. I now pass the Peach Blossom garden where the late and great Ms. Juanita Rivera used to sit daily and watch over her community. Now the lovely community of the Murray Itzkowitz house has set up a memorial to honor Ms. Rivera and her lawn chair.
Passing the firehouse between C and B, I stop to see which puppies the boys are entertaining today. Then it's the restaurants I wish I could afford to eat at everyday, Il Baggato and Supper. I also wish I had the time to just sit outside and sip wine like all the skinny hipsters. Now I am on A where the best deli in the city sells beautiful, colorful bouquets all year round. Between A and 1st avenue is a long block. Wide, and always splattered with dog poop. I really should consider another route. At 1st I turn up to go to Kudo Bean and get my iced Hawaiian hazelnut coffee. (Except, now it goes by “The Bean” and I have switched to green tea. Shocking!) Walking down 3rd st, I always smile at Ms. Reese who has gotten a new sign that reads "Physic Reader" but she is still just as lurking an top heavy. Next, I pass the Pak Punjabi deli where I like to buy Bollywood VHS's because it's cheaper than renting them. (Or else, I misunderstood the pricing rules…) I love 2nd avenue. Mostly because the little white man stays white for so long and I never have to run to avoid being hit by a cab. However, Bowery is not so accommodating. I always get stuck on the dirty median, smelling that lovely diesel aroma and definitely sweating. The only thing I can say about 3rd between Bowery and Lafayette is that it has been under construction since I got here. That is over 3 years! I hope they are hiding some sort of building masterpiece behind the wooden facades. Lafayette is great because you can always jaywalk and it results in my 2nd firehouse walk-by on my way to campus. Mmm. Now, can you believe I am already at Broadway? Well I can because I have 4 minutes to make it to class on the fourth floor. You always have to wait for the little man on Broadway, unless you want to die. Once upon a time, I may have stopped here to visit Bath and Body Works and applied extraneous amounts of lotion and shimmer samples to my body, but this act is not as amusing solo. I run down 3rd, around truck beds and more construction, to climb the back, secret stairs to Gould Plaza. I look all over for my ID card, find it in my hand, and rush into the building and up the stairs. Success! I sit, and sweat some more, and class begins....
That is just a little taste 2nd street for ya. Miss it yet??
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