Fade to Gray: Oh, New York

When I was 18 year’s old I took my very first trip to New York City and hated it.

Too loud and busy and dirty and nothing like the quiet streets I knew so well in Troy. I was overwhelmed and felt vulnerable and uncertain and I remember telling my parents if I never went back it would be fine with me. Of course that was then and this is now and I love the city for so many things; not the least of which is Broadway.

My life seems to go in spurts, meaning I won’t do something for a while and then suddenly do a lot of that very thing. Example, I won’t see the ocean for years and then go three times in two months. Normally I find myself in Manhattan at least once a year but this summer my wife and I ended up going three times in six weeks; once to see the musical “Rock of Ages” and twice to enjoy a show called “Beetlejuice.” Why see the same show twice? Two reasons. The first time we had lousy seats and I wanted to experience this amazing show up close. Second reason was since seeing it the first time I learned the music and really wanted to hear them sign it again. And, of course, seeing the actor’s faces and hearing their voices from the second row is a very difference experience.

While the show was fantastic the day started on the wrong foot. Anyone who knows me well knows that my favorite saying is, “Announcing your plans is a good way to hear God laugh.” It means things seldom go exactly as planned no matter how much time or effort you put into them beforehand.

When I planned to take my wife to see Beetlejuice that second time I wanted to do something romantic so I planned a picnic in the park before the show. We of course had walked in Central Park in Manhattan numerous times but always saw the same things since we always enter the park near 5th avenue where the FAO Scwarz toy store used to be.

I miss that place and the piano Tom Hanks danced on.

Anyway, since I wanted to dial up the romance I turned to Google and learned in the middle of the park was a place called the Belvedere Castle. Not only could we experience beauty and history but there was a pretty pond to sit next to when we ate. Perfect, or so I thought.

We took the train to the city and walked to Times Square to buy a sandwich at Juniors (famous for their cheesecake) hopped in a cab and told him where to take us. The man drove to the center of the park and asked me where I wanted to get out? I told him, for the second time, Belvedere Castle and he said, “I don’t know how to get there.”

That resulted in us getting out of the cab near West 80th street.

I found a vendor selling artwork near the park and she told me we could walk to the castle in ten minutes. When we went into the park as instructed we soon learned the entrance to the castle was blocked but were told we could walk around. When we did that we found more police and more road blocks in the park.

Turns out a big concert was happening so we couldn’t get to the castle that day.

Annoyed we walked another fifteen minutes in the park looking for a good spot to have a picnic and finally gave up, choosing to just sit on a bench. Within two minutes of lunch we were swarmed by yellow jacket bees. They were trying to land on us, the food and our drinks. I had a fountain drink and saw bees on the straw and two got inside the cup buzzing above the liquid. “Seriously?” I thought. We left the park and started walking back toward Times Square. After another fifteen minutes I realized we just walked 12 blocks in the wrong direction. My wife bit her lip and I just stayed quiet for a while.

I found a cab and told him to take us to a bar near the theater. A glass of merlot and pint of Sam Adams later our mood was much improved and we walked the rest of the way to our fantastic seats for Beetlejuice. The man playing the lead is the twice Tony nominated Alex Brightman and I’d swear he looked at me and could see it had been a rough day.

At the end of the show when they took their bows he gave a wink to the cute couple in front of us but I’d like to think it was for me.

On the long train ride home in the dark I told my wife I was sorry my romantic castle plans crashed and burned. She squeezed my hand and said, “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

Wow, three times, just like Beetlejuice!