August 21, 2001
One of the advantages of being abandoned by your spouse in a steaming parked van is that you are forced to take in your environment. He had gone into the Rite Aid on Clinton and Grand streets to redeem coupons for an $11.99 three pack of Mach III razors. There’s something about the mere sight of shopping coupons that elicits emotions that I’m not proud of, disdain, impatience, anxiety. Nevertheless, we both have bits we like to shave, him since he shed his beard, me since I can no longer take the rantings of the Eastern European waxing women (my last regular just exiled her teenage son back to Roumania for being insolent to her; just think what she could do with a tub of hot wax). So I was secretly delighted that he was buying fresh razors. The light was leaving the sky and I noticed the Empire State building from a new angle. I am proprietary about the Empire State Building having worked on the 27th floor for close to ten years. It was a terrible place to work. But if you look up towards the top at a certain hour of the day, to the viewing platform—even from the distance of Grand Street—you can see the light bursts of tourist’s cameras flashing into the late summer twilight air. They were out of Mach III razors and the offer ends tonight. The cashier issued him with a “rain check coupon” so he could come back and get the $11.99 deal at a later date. Now I would never have thought to ask.
11.99 for a three pack??? Doesn't sound THAT great--how many in a 3 pack?
Twelve.
I have always loved and laughed at those flash bulbs. Hundreds of attempts to illumate the city each night. I suspect that the pictures usually come out as grey mush but somehow it doesn't matter, it's a form of applause. I say a group of us should go up there with disposable cameras and click away at dusk as another group sits somewhere and watches. I've never been to the top in all my 19 years of living here. Who's game?
i would go, we need to get out and about more!!
i've never been to the top either though i've occassionally tried to drum up interest on the rare lazy day with nothing to do. count me in for a flasher. we need a field trip - i'd like go on the night without lights but i don't think that's til december.
Let's do it then! A pic-nic would be great. I was thinking that the fall would be best because of the tourist/crowd issue, say a warm eve in early October. Those of us who haven't been to the top would be flashers, those who've been would be watchers.
We could send off a series of flashes to the count of 1-2-3-4.....so that the watchers would know it's us. Or maybe just a frenzied burst of flashes would be best....Then we could post our pics on the site, grey and mushy notwithstanding.
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One of the advantages of being abandoned by your spouse in a steaming parked van is that you are forced to take in your environment. He had gone into the Rite Aid on Clinton and Grand streets to redeem coupons for an $11.99 three pack of Mach III razors. There’s something about the mere sight of shopping coupons that elicits emotions that I’m not proud of, disdain, impatience, anxiety. Nevertheless, we both have bits we like to shave, him since he shed his beard, me since I can no longer take the rantings of the Eastern European waxing women (my last regular just exiled her teenage son back to Roumania for being insolent to her; just think what she could do with a tub of hot wax). So I was secretly delighted that he was buying fresh razors. The light was leaving the sky and I noticed the Empire State building from a new angle. I am proprietary about the Empire State Building having worked on the 27th floor for close to ten years. It was a terrible place to work. But if you look up towards the top at a certain hour of the day, to the viewing platform—even from the distance of Grand Street—you can see the light bursts of tourist’s cameras flashing into the late summer twilight air. They were out of Mach III razors and the offer ends tonight. The cashier issued him with a “rain check coupon” so he could come back and get the $11.99 deal at a later date. Now I would never have thought to ask.
- rachael 8-21-2001 10:52 pm
11.99 for a three pack??? Doesn't sound THAT great--how many in a 3 pack?
- anonymous (guest) 8-22-2001 4:13 am [add a comment]
Twelve.
- rachael 8-22-2001 8:04 am [add a comment]
I have always loved and laughed at those flash bulbs. Hundreds of attempts to illumate the city each night. I suspect that the pictures usually come out as grey mush but somehow it doesn't matter, it's a form of applause. I say a group of us should go up there with disposable cameras and click away at dusk as another group sits somewhere and watches. I've never been to the top in all my 19 years of living here. Who's game?
- steve 8-22-2001 4:19 pm [add a comment]
i would go, we need to get out and about more!!
- Skinny 8-22-2001 5:35 pm [add a comment]
It's such a great outing. I say we wait for the tourists to wane and take a pic-nic up there.
- rachael 8-22-2001 5:44 pm [add a comment]
i've never been to the top either though i've occassionally tried to drum up interest on the rare lazy day with nothing to do. count me in for a flasher. we need a field trip - i'd like go on the night without lights but i don't think that's til december.
- linda 8-22-2001 5:55 pm [add a comment]
Let's do it then! A pic-nic would be great. I was thinking that the fall would be best because of the tourist/crowd issue, say a warm eve in early October. Those of us who haven't been to the top would be flashers, those who've been would be watchers.
We could send off a series of flashes to the count of 1-2-3-4.....so that the watchers would know it's us. Or maybe just a frenzied burst of flashes would be best....Then we could post our pics on the site, grey and mushy notwithstanding.
- steve 8-22-2001 11:08 pm [add a comment]
flashers will need the usual overcoat and leggins. fall is the best because, on a clear day you can see forever..................
- bill 8-23-2001 2:47 am [add a comment]