Iced Coffee, JFK Airport

The wait for Dunkin wrapped around the entire food court at 7:15. But I had time. At the front I asked for a medium iced coffee with cream, in a hot cup. I always ask for iced coffee in a hot cup because paper decomposes and plastic doesn't. Some places (the adorable cafe in Henne's neighborhood where I ate a black and white cookie and millionaire shortbread) don't mind at all. Other people insist what I'm asking is insane. I would classify the cashier at the JFK Dunkin as the latter. I was very aware of the family grumbling behind me, but I couldn't help myself when she held up a plastic cup and said, "No" over and over, I had to say, "Why?" over and over. Finally she pulled someone over to ask, and he was like, "Yeah who cares?" The whole thing was so overdramatic they forgot to charge me, and when I protested they just shuffled me away holding my paper bagel bag and victory cup.

At my gate I sat on a high top while the rest of the Group D mongrels swarmed the door. A couple about my age walked by, and I felt my senses heighten when they stopped a few feet from me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw them staring at me. I slyly checked my underwear wasn't sticking out, but beyond that couldn't guess what might be so interesting. I heard the girl mutter, "I'm gonna be my mom" before trotting over. "Excuse me!" she twinkled, "But where is the Dunkin Donuts?" I pointed her back and left. She smiled and went on her way.

Everybody here wanted somethin' more / searchin' for a sound we hadn't heard before.

New York Cab Driver in Summer

The summer after I graduated high school, I went to New York with my friend More. I was trying to save up a significant amount of money that summer in preparation for my first year of college, so I was pretty stingy during the whole trip. IE I brought a bag of apples and string cheese, so I would only have to buy one meal a day. But, I had a very good time and saw a lot of theatre and wondrous NY landmarks.

On departure day, it was my job to pay for the taxi to the airport. The driver didn't speak much English. When we arrived at JFK, the meter said the price of the ride was just under $25 dollars. I got out my wallet, and the driver got out of the car, held out his hand, and said, "Theerty dollar." I had obviously seen the real price, but it totally didn't even cross my mind that the cabbie was lying. I just figured there was some other tax I was unaware of. I had never paid for a cab before. I gave him the $30, and then, knowing you're supposed to tip driver, another eight dollars. He looked confused, and I said, "For tip." He suddenly looked extremely ashamed and gave me back the ten. "No..." he said, looking at the ground.

Oh. And then I got it. He saw two young girls and worried he wasn't going to get a tip, so he lied. When, actually, we had no intention of stiffing him. I was even going to give him a bigger tip than the one he fabricated. And then we took our suitcases and went home.

Fact: It's better to get things the right way.

Char and Henne

Tira misu and berry torte from a bakery in Germany. 2011.

"I am literally counting every dollar because if I spend more than fifteen dollars a day, which, as you know, is easy to do, my life will literally be ruined. I'm doing a really bad job because I look around my apartment and see I have, like, four kinds of cheese, and I'm like, that is not a meal."--Henne on living in New York

"I really enjoy reading your blog every day. I'm sorry the only advice I can offer you is to poison your jar of nuts though."--Dad on the previous blog post about nut theives

Loozing Da Mined!

Wilderness. Woke up early to have breakfast with my aunt. Supes sleepy. Driving drowsy. Milling slowly around, watching Synecdoche New York and it felt like it lasted my whole lifetime...kind of the point of the movie, but come ON. Come ON. Great reviews, but I feel like I lost my mind. Also, I can't believe it's not even 3 PM!

I appreciate art that shows us how horrible life is when we wait, but I also get it. And, I already read Death of a Salesman. So. You know.

I'm sprawled out considering reality and Full House, so I guess I should go on a walk now.

I wonder if she knows which way is down.

State Fair 2010