8/24/03 Process Trailer in Times Square at my Bus Stop; Malachy's Story; Moving Peter to Greenwich Hotel:

My usual commute to Circle Line at the west end of 42nd street, is to take the 1 train from my building to Times Square, and then to get an M42 [42nd street cross-town] bus to 12th avenue. I wait for the bus in Times Square, usually affording me some bit of entertainment during my morning stupor. This morning, 42nd street was briefly closed off for a truck with a camera mounted on a crane to make a sweeping pass of a nearby theater, probably for a commercial shoot of some sort.

Everyone kind of stood around and watched. Then they drove down the block and disappeared. A few minutes later they came around again in the same direction. Take 2, I guess. Then my bus came.

Here's a bunch of guys hanging around. On the left is a crewmember on the 17. Behind him is a tour guide, Tim Hollon. Then, facing the camera on the right, is Malachy Murray, the tour guide just above me in seniority. Here he is telling us the story of how a passenger on last night's Harbor Lights cruise, came up to him during his tour and told him to shut up. Malachy told him to sit down. When the passenger got in Malachy's face and grabbed the microphone, Malachy, who professes to have a background in boxing, punched him across the face, decking him out. Big fiasco, etc, etc. Malachy feels like the victim. So, too, probably, does the guy he punched out. Ahh, Circle Line.

After my day on the boat, I promised Peter I would help him move into his Sophomore dorm. The Greenwich Hotel, on Greenwich St., just south of Christopher in the West Village.

His name on the door in a subway theme. I'm impressed. They got the E train color correctly. The J too!

His apartment is for 5 people. 3 in his bedroom, and 2 in the other. Here's the kitchen, in the corner of the common room.

Peter carefully choosing which bed he wants. This is a difficult but important decision when living with roomates. And its great to be first. You have your pick of the litter. In the end, Peter chose the bed on the right.

The common room.

It only took a few cart loads to get Peter's neatly packed stuff into the apartment. I like moving. Well... that's not exactly true. I like driving, especially between the City and somewhere else. I feel like a bus or taxi driver. I'm going to love being the carpool dad should I be lucky enough to have children some day. Loading and unloading the actual boxes is less fun. I would make a good teamster. [But alas, I am to become a Longshoreman instead].