“Surprise… on the Incumbent Bike”? 😏🎆🧨 🙄
Manhattan traditional Macy’s Day Fireworks had nothing on this happening to me in the gym…Baa-boom!
Tonight, Macy’s famous fireworks were being held on the city’s westside.
‘Thank Goodness” that left “MY” side of town…empty…by contrast.
My daughter, Michele said, “Let’s get some fresh evening air… strolling on the East River Walkway”.
I said” YES” because the crowds wouldn’t be there, and we could catch a breeze.
Sure, enough it was almost empty, tranquil & breezy…a miracle.
We watched River cook up white caps. An unusual occurrence for this usually slow-moving body of water. Yachts, water taxis, water motor toys motored by on the wavy current.
The evening breeze was wonderful, after the hot afternoon. The restless stirring water foretold a storm was coming…as it grew suddenly cloudy.
So, we were heading home, Michele reminding me, “You haven’t been exercising lately… “(So true).
“Let’s go now Mom… no excuses”!
Then she parades me to our building's gym.
On an incumbent bike she plants me. (Plop)!
A man gets on the bike next to me.
He notices I’m rubbing my left knee
“You’re having a knee problem,” He commiserates… “me, too”.
I nod & smirk. 😏
I know this ancient gent; he now resides in the same apartment house, as I, but…for only a short time. 👴
I recognize him from “the New York Scene” of decades ago.
He was just a guy I’d seen around as we frequented the same Manhattan restaurants and joints of the years past.
I never had spoken a word to him, as they say, “He was just another face in the crowd”. 👨👩👧👨👨👦👦👨👩👧👧
(His appearance hasn’t changed much… except he’s just old now). NOT me…I stayed exactly the same! 🤣
Since he breeched the silence, I volunteered, “I remember you”. (Just another guy around town hanging out with drinking pals).
He seemed to be to be pleased ☺ to have been recognized…as anyone would be!
Well, that started New York geography…going…as we pumped…ever so slowly on the bikes.
“Where did you come from”? I questioned (“New York-ese”) for was it The Bronx or Brooklyn?
“Brooklyn” He answered… Brownsville”. (My childhood neighborhood).
He had unbelievably lived on Stone Avenue as I & the same time 1940's.
Even stranger… when my family moved to Riverdale Avenue, a few blocks away, so did his…follow.
Well knock me down! (No, I did not know him from there).
This fellow- gym -incumbent biker…was in the same Thomas Jefferson High School graduating class of 1958 (as my husband) but didn’t know him.
There were a few people we knew mutually from Manhattan…so we reminisced about them… acknowledging, that they are now either in Florida or have passed onto “The Big Neighborhood in the Sky”.
Are you ready for the BEST yet???
The audacity of him…🙄he’s writing a book about Brownsville, Brooklyn… as his autobiography.
Insult on injury…😮
A famous publisher will be publishing his book... as he was in the publicity business and is well-acquainted in the industry. (There goes my million-dollar seller)! LOL…LOL!
“HELLO! Excuse me, Sir…I have the book I wrote on the exact place & timetable…it is on Amazon for a few years, now. I wrote it for my grandchildren who couldn’t understand where I came from”, I matter-of-factly inform him.
Ready, again? He is writing his… for the same reason! 😲
We introduce ourselves… “My name Frank”.
“Frank…Hi I’m Dee-Dee” … 😊😊
