Black Friday in Manhattan and Other Short Stories.

As I walked from my apartment towards the 4 train I was very aware of my connection to the city. It felt good, inspiring. I enjoyed watching the black Friday shoppers scrambling in and out of the crowded apartment buildings with bags in hand, most of them speaking varying indiscernible languages, something I’ve grown to appreciate about my neighborhood. As I rounded a corner leading to the last few blocks of my short stroll, I saw a commotion on the sidewalk ahead of me. It appeared that some kids had picked this very chilly November Friday to throw water balloons from their 5th story window onto unsuspecting shoppers below. As I walked closer, I noticed that some of the balloons had failed to pop on impact. Only then did I realize that they weren’t actually balloons, but condoms filled with water. I crept by, tactfully avoiding any projectiles from above, laughing to myself as I imagined these kids, left home while the parents went searching for the best Black Friday deals, discovering these balloons and putting them to such good use. I also chuckled as I realized these kids were also likely the reason their parents had this many condoms on hand. No one else seemed to see the humor in it, and many on the street were yelling towards the sky in mixes of English, Spanish and what sounded like Russian. I love living in New York.

I met up with Josh in Grand Central and we headed towards Times Square to grab some food. The day was out of control from there. Often I feel like the city is in control, telling me where I’ll go next or what I’ll do. The days come and go and I barely know what’s happened, but somehow I’ve got everything I wanted and I’ve circled the island multiple times over. This day was no exception. After enjoying a steak in Times Square we headed to Midtown Comics so I could fill my weekly comic quota and then to H&M for some gloves and a hat. The day went on, and we went with it, to Canal Street for new lighting, a new coat at a store in Union Square, new books from a Strand Books at NYU, alcoholic drinks on Ludlow St in the Lower East Side, toys in SoHo, desert at a famous pastry shop in Little Italy, and finally a bathroom break at the Charmin Experience back in Times Square. Considering it was the notorious Black Friday, the city was surprisingly free of the usual crowds and easy to navigate. I think we crossed the island three or four times before calling it a day. Still, with most of my Christmas shopping done in this one day, I find myself pleased with the trip.

See my video below of the Charmin Experience in Times Square. It was a little out of hand for me, and I think it was the only place I went all day that was actually busy.

(video coming soon)