On Thursday I trolleyed from 49th and Baltimore to 30th street station, lugged my suitcase to the megabus and Megabussed to NYC. On the bus, I studied Spanish using a really fun book I found at Book Traders in Old City called “See it & Say it in Spanish” by Margarita Madrigal (I suspect, a pen name).
It’s from the 1960’s and teaches me to say really useful things like “Tiene fonografo?” “Tiene muchos discos?” “Va a reciber un telegrama?” (“Do you have a phonograph?” “How many records do you have?” “Have you received the telegram?”).
Remarkably, despite its outdated quality—I was able to pick up some very basic Spanish between the bus and the plane. It also helped that on the bus I sat across from knitter adept enough at Spanish and nice enough to let me bother her about the pronunciations.
I also practiced various ways to complain to Ryan in Ecuador:
“Tengo frio!” (I am cold)
“Tengo hambre!” (I am hungry)
“Tengo sed!” (I am thirsty)
“Tengo calor!” (I am warm)
“Tengo dolor de cabeza. Et tu?” (I have a headache. Do you?”)
I arrived in NYC and rendezvoused (eventually) with my friend Tom Brennan at Penn Station. We subwayed to the upper West Side where Tom lives and at a Deli I had a sort of last American meal: A BLT (I like to pretend it was a BLT and not just an egg with cheese and bacon sans anything of excess nutritional value) with matzah ball soup, cole-slaw and a pickle. I also drank my last glass of non-bottled water for a while.
“Tengo hambre!” (I am hungry)
“Tengo sed!” (I am thirsty)
“Tengo calor!” (I am warm)
“Tengo dolor de cabeza. Et tu?” (I have a headache. Do you?”)
I arrived in NYC and rendezvoused (eventually) with my friend Tom Brennan at Penn Station. We subwayed to the upper West Side where Tom lives and at a Deli I had a sort of last American meal: A BLT (I like to pretend it was a BLT and not just an egg with cheese and bacon sans anything of excess nutritional value) with matzah ball soup, cole-slaw and a pickle. I also drank my last glass of non-bottled water for a while.
Tom works at Marvel Comics and we spent some time deliberating over potential graphic novel worthy blog titles (because that’s what my life starts to feel like when I haven’t slept enough). But we failed to find an appropriate adjective to precede “Life Adventures” without pinning the tone into a mold, put our major to shame and then gave up. If anybody knows any fitting adjectives feel free to send them my way. If I use it, I will bring you something back from Ecuador.
Earlier, after stepping of the megabus, I stood at the corner of 7th Avenue and W 33rd Street. As I waited for Tom to arrive, I blended into the scenery, watched the endless cavalcade of NYC denizens passing by and debated whether or not I wanted to be a part of it. I am at a point where I have the power and the gall to go anywhere. San Francisco, Chicago, I could stay in Philly, unicycle across Europe, move back to Austin, anything. What do I do next with my life? Maybe everything will come clear in Ecuador.
Earlier, after stepping of the megabus, I stood at the corner of 7th Avenue and W 33rd Street. As I waited for Tom to arrive, I blended into the scenery, watched the endless cavalcade of NYC denizens passing by and debated whether or not I wanted to be a part of it. I am at a point where I have the power and the gall to go anywhere. San Francisco, Chicago, I could stay in Philly, unicycle across Europe, move back to Austin, anything. What do I do next with my life? Maybe everything will come clear in Ecuador.
It probably won’t, but it’ll be a great distraction.
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