I’ve been up and down to NYC a few times, but I thought I’d quickly highlight this particular (mis)adventure.
The wonderful, legendary, ever-running Gus was in town. He was stopping off on his way back to the UK from LA.
Dan, ever the polymath, was directing a play off-Broadway.
And I’d been given a 24-hour exam. The basic idea of which is that you have a one day window to upload an answer to an essay question. This was my first one. “How hard could it be?” I mocked. Such naïveté.
Given that I’d a full twenty four hours to complete this thing, my first mistake, undoubtedly, was to start work on it with only seven to spare.
My second was to think that I could finish it off on the two-hour coach ride to NYC. Or in Starbucks at 7th Ave and 28th St. Or in the Lobby Bar of the 59E59 Theatre.
Well, all that wouldn’t actually have mattered if the bloody theatre had had wifi. It didn’t. So, as the bell was ringing to call us to our seats, off I sprinted through the honking mid-town traffic to find a signal on which to latch. Thank you Borders®© on Park Avenue. My exam essay was uploaded on time. I was on top of my game.
Or not.
The theatre door had closed and they weren’t letting me in.
Thanks to Alice the barmaid, I was able to regain a sense of perspective over a G&T on-the-house. She’s a darling, and they’re got live jazz on a Thursday – you should visit.
With my track record, no one was much surprised that I’d missed the performance. But I had my ticket; I’d come back another night during the run.
After demolishing a bizarre fruit bouquet (epic fail on the part of the actress who left it behind) we headed out for japes at Carnegies – an infamous local deli. I was dared to drink a new york cream soda by the waiter. I did it.
Gus ate half a cow.
We discussed the difference between gherkins, cucumbers and pickles. The kitchen leaked bleach. They had a huge gherkin and lots of photos of famous people. 
Someday Dan, Gus and Elizabeth will be up there too.
Fifty States 
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