LET’S GO RANGERS!

Tags

Bagels, Coffee, Gambling, Gym, New York Daily News, New York Rangers

WEDNESDAY MORNING – MAY 13

Billy and Mikey are sitting in Terrace Bagels. Lately, it’s become their favorite morning spot.

“Lemme guess Billy, you’re going to the Garden tonight?” Mikey wondered about his buddy on whether he was going to the Rangers game tonight against the Washington Capitals.

It was game 7.

“Nope!”

Mikey looks surprised at Billy’s answer.

“What ya mean nope?”

Billy sips his extra large cup of coffee and takes a bite out of his plain bagel with cream cheese.

“Got a date tonight,” Billy informs him.

“Same chick as last week?” Mikey asked.

“Nah, going out with Noreen,” Billy implied.

Mikey looks surprised.

“Noreen?”

“Yep, she finally agreed to let me take her out,” Billy explained.

“Ain’t she married?” Mikey asked.

“Nah, she got divorced about a year ago,” Billy informs him.

Mikey finishes up his coffee and polishes off his Sesame bagel.

“She’s hot man, I saw her at the neighborhood reunion,” Mikey testified.

“Fuck yeah she’s hot,” Billy confirms rather enthusiastically.

“You always had a crush on her,” Mikey recalled.

Billy grabs his empty cup off the table and stands up.

“I gotta go Mikey. Yo, you know if they give coffee refills in this joint?”

“Nah man, what ya think this is?” Mikey answers. “Where ya going anyway?”

Billy wipes his mouth with a napkin, snatches up the mess he made and tosses everything in the garbage.

“Going to the gym to workout.” Billy says. “It’s been a while,” As he rubs his stomach. It’s grown a bit over the years.

Mikey smiles.

“Okay bro, good luck tonight with Noreen,” Mikey says as Billy heads for the door.

“Thanks Mikey and bet the Rangers tonight, they’re a lock,” Billy advised him.

Mikey watches Billy walk out the door and onto ninth avenue. Mikey hasn’t placed a bet in a few days. He’s even now with Roger.

Should I bet the Rangers tonight? Mikey thinks to himself as he quickly pulls out the Daily News and checks the line.

“Fuck, New York is -164,” he says out loud.

Louie is wiping down the table next to him.

“Don’t you bet the Rangers tonight,” Louie warns him.

Mikey doesn’t even look at him.  He contemplates what to do next.

“When you going back to work?” Louie asks.

Again, Mikey doesn’t say anything as he grabs the newspaper, stuffs it in his back pocket and heads for the door.

As Louie cleans up the table he thinks to himself; guy is gambling and he doesn’t even have a job.

-Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

9TH STREET AND PPW

Tags

New York Daily News, Ninth street, Parking Ticket

Tuesday afternoon – May 12

“Yo Billy, don’t park your car over on ninth street,” Mikey warned his friend while they sat on the parkside enjoying a container from Farrell’s.

“Why not?” Billy wondered.

“Cause, read this,” Mikey replied, handing the newspaper to Billy.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/city-hauled-72g-parking-spots-brooklyn-article-1.2218574

OR JUST ANOTHER LOST ANGEL?

Tags

Bus, Daily News, Otto, Rangers

Monday morning – May 11

It’s a little after seven, everyone in my apartment is asleep. Mom, my sister and older brother.

Our windows are wide open. Mom keeps them open during the night so we can get a breeze through the apartment. The back window in the kitchen stays open as well as the three windows facing ninth avenue.

At about 7:20 Maureen catches the 69 bus for school across the street,  outside Rae and Otto’s. I am thinking of going downstairs to say hi.  In case you don’t know by now, Maureen is my girlfriend.

I love seeing her in the morning. She’s a junior at Saint Saviour high school down on eighth avenue.  They make the students wear uniforms. To me that’s crazy.

I wanna walk her to school but I always chicken out.

Crossing ninth avenue I see her standing with a friend. They’re talking, Maureen laughs. She is always laughing. I love her laugh. A few cars zoom by as I jog across the busy avenue.

“Hi,” I uttered.

“Hey, good morning,” she says as she displays her gorgeous smile. Clearly she is surprised to see me. Normally I would be on the train headed to school.

I keep walking towards Rae’s.

Over my left shoulder I can see Maureen and her friend looking at me as I enter the empty store.

Otto, the tall German man is behind the counter looking right at me. Every time I go in the store he hawks me. Don’t really know what his problem is. Just leave me alone dude.

Bending over and picking up a Daily News I take a quick peek outside and see Maureen and her friend get on the bus. We make eye contact, she smiles and then waves.

Stupid me shows no reaction. Why don’t I wave back?

The bus pulls away and I hand Otto thirty-five cents for the newspaper.

Not before I give Otto a dirty look and mumble under my breath.

Here you go asshole. 

Walking out of the store I watch the bus roll towards 16th street and around the circle.

Why can’t I get up the courage to ask Maureen if her and I can walk to school together? I’m sure she would.

I walk back up to my apartment, sit at the kitchen table and read the sports section.

Great, the Rangers tied the series with the Caps, now they come back to the Garden for Game 7, Wednesday night.

-Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY…

SHATTERED

Tags

Cops, Rolling Stones

Saturday night – May 9

Love and hope and sex and dreams Are still surviving on the street Look at me, I’m in tatters! I’m a shattered Shattered Friends are so alarming And my lover’s never charming Life’s just a cocktail party on the street.

Hanging out on the parkside listening Donato’s boom box,  it’s a beautiful night. We don’t care. Everyone is singing along to the Stones. It’s the weekend. Not a care in the world.

We’re teenagers, what’s there to worry about?

If you took a count, we probably have 25 to 30 kids hanging out tonight. Some nights it’s more, some nights it’s less.

A cop car rolls up. Everyone is looking over at the cop who is getting out of the car. Someone turns the music down.

Oh shit, should we run?

Who they looking for?

It gets real quiet.

“ANYONE SEE MIKEY?” the cops shouts.

No one says anything.

It’s like we’re frozen.

We’re too afraid.

“IF ANYONE SEES HIM, TELL HIM WE’RE LOOKING FOR HIM AND HE BETTER TURN HIMSELF IN,” the cop explains.

We stand there stunned.

Wonder what Mickey did now? Guy is always getting into trouble.

The cop turns around and walks back to the squad car.  It peels out, goes around the circle and books down 15th street.

We crank the music back up.

“Wonder what Mikey did?” someone asks.

“Who gives a shit,” I scream.

-Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

PRECIOUS AND FEW…

Tags

Pizza

Wednesday night – May 6

Been walking around now for about an hour.

The streets are empty.

Got nowhere to go. All my friends went home.

The weather is getting warmer, so glad the winter is over. The snow was all fucked up.  Too much of it if you ask me. But now, at two a.m. all I wanna do is be alone.

Life sucks.

Nobody cares.

Mom and I had a big fight.

Girlfriend won’t talk to me.

I’m hungry.

There’s a greasy spoon open 24 hours down on seventh avenue and ninth street. Smiley’s is open, maybe I’ll grab a slice. But the walk is so far.

Seems like all I do is walk.

As I pass Farrell’s I see a few guys at the bar.

I’m too young to get served.

Rangers lost tonight to the Caps; they trail the series 3-1.

These guys in here love the Rangers.

All I do is wave to them, they wave back,  I keep walking towards the park.

Crossing the circle I make my way along Prospect Park West. I’ll walk to ninth street, hang a left and go down to seventh avenue. Ninth street at night scares me. Never know who you bump into.

One time these three kids tried to jump me on eighth avenue. I ran from them.

Down on the corner of ninth street and seventh avenue I see some guys outside Smiley’s.

They’re laughing. Having a good time.

There’s a cop car parked at the bus stop.

I peek into Smiley’s, it’s pretty empty except for the cops.

I slide my hand in my pocket and pull out some money.

“Two slices and a small coke,” I say to the guy behind the counter.

“Coming right up,” he answers as he throws the slices in the oven.

I sit down at a table and stare out the window. The kids are still outside. I see one chase the other out to the street. Think they are the 7th avenue boys. We had a fight with them in the winter. Hope they don’t recognize me.

To my left are two cops eating their pizza. I’m safe. They don’t talk very much to each other. Cops are quiet until they tell you to get off the corner. All they do is chew and sip their drinks, enjoying their pizza.

I notice a tall black kid walk in and order. He looks at me.

“Red, that you?” he asks.

I look at him.

Wanting not to say anything I have no choice.

“Yo Keith, what’s up?”

-Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

SO LONG JOE…

Tags

Candy store

The Candy store on ninth avenue between 16th street and the Circle is closing.

Thanks to Maureen and Frank for the update.

Good luck Jimmy…

BAGELS

Tags

Bagels, Brooklyn, Philadelphia

Tuesday morning – May 5

Mikey is sitting alone at a table in Terrace Bagels enjoying a Cinnamon-raisen bagel with cream cheese and jelly.  He washes it down with a large hot coffee; milk and three splenda. It’s a little after eight.

“Fuckin’ Rangers lost last night,” Mikey barked to Louie who was wiping down the table next to him.

“Yeah I know, I watched the whole game,” Louie answered.”They couldn’t score a goal.”

Mikey’s eyes went back to his Daily News which was spread out on the table. Louie was the owner of the Bagel shop. He put in a lot of time to build the business.

“Tell me you didn’t bet the Rangers last night?” Louie inquired as he tossed a few empty paper cups into the garbage.

“Nah, my gambling days are over,” Mikey assurred him.

Louie wasn’t so sure. He has known Mikey for a few years.

“I lost my pants last week, I couldn’t pull a winner for anything,” Mikey cried.

Louie knew all about Mikey’s gambling habit. There were mornings where Mikey spent a couple of hours in the bagel shop reading the newspaper then placing bets with his bookie right there in front of everyone.

Louie was done wiping the tables and now headed behind the counter to help with the sudden rush.

“WHO’S NEXT?” Louie shouted.

Mikey looked up at the line and saw a long-time friend.

“Yo Patty,” Mikey shouted. No response.

“Patty Smith, what’s up bro?” Mikey shouted.

A tall guy with glasses and a Mets cap was waiting on line, looked over at Mikey.

“Hey, how you doin’?” a guy said.

It was Patty Smith, he used to live in the neighborhood.

“What are you up to these days?” Mikey asked as he got up from his table and extended his hand.

“Nothing much man, just in town for a few days visiting,” Patty answered.

“Where ya’ living these days?” Mikey asked.

“Jersey, I moved to Jersey about five years,” Patty said.

“Jersey huh? What part?”

“South Jersey, down by Philly,” Patty informed him.

Mikey looked towards the front door where the line had grown as Patty moved up a little. When he thinks of Philadelphis the Sixers, Phillies and the Flyers come to mind.

“How ya like it down there?” Mikey asked. “I go down to A.C. every now and then.”

“It’s cool, the old lady got transferred down there so we packed up and moved the whole family.”

Mikey seemed intrigued. Not that he would want to move out of the neighborhood, it’s just that he along with his friend Billy are always wondering why people are leaving Brooklyn.

“Everyone’s moving out and headed to Jersey,” Mikey said.

“I know, these prices for apartments are getting out of control,” Patty said.

“Tell me about it, our landlord just raised to rent,” Mikey explained.

“What we pay on our mortage in Jersey is the same as our rent here,” Patty explained. “Plus there’s no traffic, no crime and no bullshit.”

“You miss your friends?” Mikey asked. As Patty had made it up to the front of the line.

“Gimme three salted, two plain and a whole wheat,” Patty informed the girl behind the counter.

“You turn into a Flyers fan yet?” Mikey asked Patty.

“Nah, I will always be a Rangers fan,” Patty answered.

“Well they sucked last night, lost to Washington one zip,” Mikey explained.

“I know, we watched the game,” Patty echoed.

The bagels were bagged and Patty was ready to leave.

“Good seeing you Mikey, take care,” Patty offered as he extended his hand.

“Sure Patty, it was good seeing you.”

-Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

KNOCK ON WOOD

Tags

Brooklyn Nets, Floyd Mayweather, Gambling, Kentucky Derby, Manny Pacquiao

Monday morning – May 4

“Hope you didn’t bet the Nets Friday night,” Billy barked at Mikey as the two friends stood on the corner of Windsor Place and Ninth Avenue.

“Don’t even go there,” Mikey warned.

Billy laughed as a few kids with their parents rushed past them heading to school.

“They sucked,” Billy added.  “I was outta there in the middle of the third quarter.”

Mikey had indeed bet the Nets Friday night. Billy said he liked Brooklyn with the points. The line started at four points and grew to five, two hours before the game. Mikey was able to get the five.  A few hours later, the Nets got smashed 111-87.  Now he was really in the hole.

Mikey had one last chance to get even on Saturday afternoon but he whiffed on the Derby and picked Pacquiao in the big fight vs Mayweather.

“I bet Pacquiao Saturday night and my horse didn’t come in in the Derby,” Mikey groaned.

“Shit, did you bet the Spurs-Clippers game?” Billy asked.

“Nah, I couldn’t get it in,” Mikey informed him.

Billy took a bite out of his buttered roll and sipped his coffee.

“Should’ve took the Clippers,” Billy added.

“I gotta pay Roger seven hundred dollars by tonight,” Mikey explained.

Billy looked at him.

“You schmuck!” Billy shouted.

Mikey was speechless.

“I told ya asshole, stop gambling, especially when you’re outta work, jerk-off!”

Mikey felt terrible. He had listened to Billy so many times telling him to give up gambling. But it was hard. He was addicted to it and there was nothing that could stop him.

“My unemployment check comes today, so at least I can give Roger five-hundred,” Mikey noted.

Billy looked away.

“I’ll give you the other two,” Billy offered.

“REALLY?” Mikey replied.

“Yeah, yeah but no more Mikey, no more bettin’.”

“Okay man, I swear on a stack of bibles, no more,” Mikey assured him as he leaned forward and hugged Billy.

“Get off me man, people will get the wrong idea,” Billy howled.

Billy and Mikey have known each other since their days at Holy Name, they were always there for each other. Had each others backs.

“How’d it go with that new lady friend Friday night?” Mikey inquired.

Billy looked at Mikey and laughed, “None of your business,” as he walked away, towards Holy Name Church.

“Where ya goin’?” Mikey hollered.

“Confession,” Billy joked as he polished off his coffee and tossed it in the trash can on the corner.

Mikey stood there watching his friend walk up the avenue towards the church.

“Confession?” Mikey thought to himself.

-Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

DOWN ON THE CORNER

Tags

Brooklyn, Ironworkers

Friday morning – Early May

“Who ya like tonight? Mikey asked Billy.

“Red Sox.”

“Nah man, I mean Nets and Hawks,” Mikey stressed.

Tonight started a big weekend in the sports world. Yankees were going to Fenway to take on the Red Sox. It was A-Rod’s first visit to Fenway Park since his suspension was lifted. The Nets were home against the Atlanta Hawks for game 6. Tomorrow was the Kentucky Derby and later that night was the big fight, Pacquiao versus Mayweather. They were asking for a hundred dollars on pay-per-view.

“I like the Nets tonight, I like them at Barclay’s. I’m going to the game.”

Mikey looked at Billy a bit surprised.

“WHAT…YOU GOT TICKETS FOR GAME 6?”

“Hell yeah,” Billy answered as he sipped on a cup of coffee from Pynn’s deli.

“I dunno, Hawks are giving 4,” Mikey barked as he checked himself out in the front window of Farrell’s.

Billy and Mikey were Local 40 ironworkers but were out of work.

“I hope something breaks soon,” Mikey declared as he pulled out the New York Post from his back-pocket.

“Yeah, I was down at Timboo’s last night and Red Duffy said they got a big building going up on third avenue.” Billy explained as he sipped some more coffee.

Mikey and Billy were excellent ironworkers and they loved their craft. But right now things were slow. They were waiting for the next job.

“Fuck man, they should give us season tickets to the Nets game, I mean we spent almost a year down there putting that shit up,” Mikey cried.

Billy laughed. Both him and Mikey were partners bolting up on the Brooklyn Nets new arena.

“They don’t give a shit about us,” Billy growled.

“Yo they really cleaned up that area,” Mikey reminded Billy.

“You’re right man, remember back in the day you had to carry a pistol if you were down there?” Billy mocked.

“Remember that time I was walking home from a bar on Flatbush avenue and those clowns came up to me asking for money,” Mikey pointed out.

Both guys laughed.

“Those motherfuckers ran so fast when I pulled my twenty-two out of my bag,” Mikey boasted.

“Two of them, right?” Billy acknowledged.

“Yeah, they thought they were tough guys,” Mikey declared.

Once again both guys laughed.

“First off you were crazy for walking home from down there,” Billy reminded him.

“Nah, it was a beautiful night,” Mikey noted.

A sanitation truck pulled up to empty the trash can on the corner of 16th street.

“Yo Joey, what’s up bro?” Mikey screamed out to their friend who was working for the city. Joey had been a sanitation worker for ten years.

“What’s up Mikey. When you taking the test?” Joey asked.

“Nah fuck that, I’m gonna work the iron until I die,” Mikey added.

Joey walked over to the steel can, picked it up and emptied it in the back of the huge, white truck.

Billy and Mikey watched him closely.

“Imagine picking up people’s shit?” Billy cited as he watched Joey put the can back on the corner and hop on the truck.

“Yeah, fuck that,” Mikey emphasized.

The truck pulled away and went straight for the trash can on the next corner.

“Yo Mikey I gotta head over to the city to see this chick,” Billy said as he started to walk down 16th street for the subway.

“Alright man, see you soon brother.”

About a week ago Billy had met a pretty girl while hanging out in the city. He had a lunch date with her.

“Be careful betting the Nets tonight,” Billy shouted out as he crossed 16th street.

Mikey stood on the corner outside Farrell’s watching Billy walk down the street.

He needed the Nets bad tonight. He was down five-hundred dollars.

-Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com