Chrissy's Manhattan Stories DATE:10/27/98 Company: Jen and Cesar

"A Tale of One City"

It was decided that we would go on the Staten Island ferry after school. Jen and Cesar had to wait for me to get out of my Anthropology class at 3:15. I met them in the cafeteria, but not at our usual table. Jen put glitter on Cesar and painted his thumb nail blue. She got to hear about the drag story* during their wait. After using the bathroom we were ready to go.

Outside we met Morya, who also was taking the Q 17. Together we climbed aboard the bus. We sat in the back; on the back door side. I was having a good time scaring some Chinese boy and poking Cesar. Morya found out about how Cesar licked himself like a dog*, which he can't do anymore. Eventually the Chinese kid was scared off, or was it his stop? We all got off at the Flushing stop. Mariah went in the opposite direction to go home. We walked down the subway stairs to catch the 7 train.

Inside Cesar saw someone he knew. We took the last car and sat. Jen and Cesar were across from me. On the trip to Manhattan we talked, threw pens, got addresses, and made up stories. Jen wrote one about Cesar and a pig which he stole from the Bronx Zoo. He thought pedophilia was someone who likes animals. We were to get off at 42nd street, but we got off at Times Square. We just jumped back into another 7 train to get us back. We almost lost Cesar on the way to the 5 train because he was looking for some music he heard. The train arrived in a short time and so we were getting ready for the ferry ride.

We got off at the Wall St. stop and walked to the Ferry station. It was dusk and cold. Once we reached the loading area I had to use the bathroom. Jen stopped to tie her shoe, but Cesar followed me. I had to point to the sign above the bathroom for him to stop. I could have let him walk into the woman's bathroom, but that would scar him for life. When I finished my business in the bathroom, I saw that the ferry had arrived. I didn't see Jen or Cesar anywhere, so I figured they were on the boat. I did a quick round of the boat, but still I couldn't see them. I decided to go back to the station and that is where they were. We boarded the ferry and were on our way.

We made our way to the front of the boat, where we could be outside in the night air. We were visited by a magician man and were greeted by my angry faces. At Staten Island we walked ashore to get the next ferry back to Manhattan. Cesar wanted to get some coffee or food and disappeared. The boat was ready to leave and he was nowhere to be found. Finally he showed up and we ran to beat the closing doors onto the ferry. Our trip back consisted of songs, talking and impressions. One such impression was my Smaldone. I started to sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow " then broke into dance at the climax. I smacked Jen in the nose by accident, I swear. I felt bad, but I couldn't stop laughing, neither could Jen. From that point on everyone near us stepped back. The skyline was great due to the building's lights against the night's darkness. We reached shore and were on our way to Canal St. Jeans.

The walk was a bit long, but enjoyable. Not too cold and not too warm. Inside we looked at strange clothing and some wearable stuff. Jen tried on a black dress and I got my Hawaiian shirt for the Halloween party. At one point we were looking at hats, and so I decided to put a hunting cap on Cesar. Somehow his glasses flew across the floor. I picked them up, but a lens was missing. The lady near us found it and handed it to him. The glasses weren't broken so no harm done.

Our next hit was Saint Mark's Place. It took a while to find it, but along the way we found a place to eat. It was a pizza place. I had to use the bathroom once again, but decided to wait until after I ate (the bathroom might look bad and make me lose my appetite). I had a slice as did Jen, and Cesar got a Chicken roll. The guy who worked there was nice and his pants were short. I think he was gay, but maybe that's his style. I then ventured into the nether regions of the bathroom to find an out of order sign. I flushed the toilet and it worked, so I did my thing and this time it didn't flush. I grabbed the plunger to manually flush the toilet. Some went down (not shit, just toilet paper and piss). I left and figured it's their bathroom, their problem. We found a comic bok store, vintage store and many novelty stores. I was looking for a cigarette holder for my costume. In all the novelty stores, nothing. Finally in a magazine store I found them. The least likely place is always the source. I called my house because it was late, but no one answered so I hung up.

On our way to find the subway station we saw a crowd outside of Tower Records (they wanted to see a band named Phish). Our last stop in Manhattan was another magazine store. It had every magazine under the sun, and its brother. We took the N train to Queensboro Plaza and transferred to the 7 train. On this rough ride a person had to hang onto the pole in order to stay up. Cesar didn't follow these rules and when the time came to grab something he missed Jen's coat and got her boob. He felt so guilty, and believe me I will never let him forget. He got off first at 90th St. Jen and I took the seats near the middle doors (the ones where you hop cars). Everything was going great until someone farted, not just a fart, the mother of all farts! Since we were on nose level with the origin of the smell, I had to get up. It didn't work that much so I stuck my head out of the door. I think it was the business man because he had food in his hands and plus the teenager wouldn't do a smell like that. It takes years to build up skank like that. When our stop arrived, we got out. It was 11:00p.m. and so I decided to call my house once again. This time there was an answer. I told my mom I'd be home soon. Jen also called home to do the same. I was going to take the Q 27 home, but Jen offered me a ride home. Together we took the Q 17 back to Queens College (where Jen's car was parked) and drove off. I was home at 11:30 and no more needs to be said. Okay one more thing, I had fun.