In a completely unrelated development, I had bought a CD alarm clock some time ago which I rhapsodized here, but for a long time now the CD slot in it has yawned empty while I yawned awake to sterile, unimaginative beeping. This morning I realized, as I awoke at 6:45 AM... the sunniest moment by some devilish chance in my apartment ... that music was a void (among others) that needed to be filled and I shook off my flannel duvet and stumbled over my ironing board towards my laptop/jukebox and put on "Rufus Wainwright," the debut album of Rufus Wainwright. Particularly I wanted to hear a couple harmonies in the song "Sally Ann," the harmonies for the line:
You realize you've been there before.
There is a little minor key Schubertian inflection in there that seems to me totally top-notch, especially combined with the country-western crooning of the whole. I put it on repeat, and standing there in my underwear in the wreckage of my bedroom I realized I was very very happy, even in the morning. I declined to analyze the various reasons. But it definitely had something to do with that sad, beautiful harmony. And the harmony kept running through my head while my faulty Starbucks cup dripped scalding French Roast onto my hand in the subway, while I clung for dear life to the nearest pole, and the train lurched spastically, and I gymnastically revolved--drippingly--to allow everyone their circuitous, irritable routes into the sardine can labelled #2. A little circle of spots on the floor of the train ephemerally marked my place, and I licked brown caffeine from my aching tingling fingers. Still, I was happy. Even amid the commuter chaos of Penn Station, that one bittersweet harmony seemed triumphant. The QuikTrak machine did not pose an obstacle either, it spit out my ticket obediently. It was only when I came to order my bagel that a serious problem arose, thus:
Me: "Poppy bagel."
Europan Employee: [harshly] "No poppy."
Me: "OK, onion bagel."
[10 second pause]
Europan Employee [Even more harshly] "No poppy."
Me: [Screaming] "OK, onion bagel, toasted, with cream cheese."
[10 second pause]
Europan Employee: "Yes we have onion."
[9 second pause]
Europan Employee: "Toasted?"
Me: "Yes, with cream cheese."
[Employee slices bagel; various other employees and customers intervene; orders fly overhead; chaotic commuters everywhere; I am at the intersection of a thousand journeys; I notice the employee is spreading cream cheese on an untoasted onion bagel.]
Me: "Umm, i wanted it toasted."
Europan Employee: [Smug, wronged.] "Well, you should have told me."
Happiness is an evanescent thing. I lost it, but recovered some while contemplating a hypothetical Arts Section headline: "Pianist arrested for assault with untoasted bagel." Or perhaps in NY Post: "Pianist testy over toasting."
12 comments:
Um, about the cell phone charging? It might just be a cold solder joint on the pc board that the cord plugs into.
I know that's not very romantic, but considering what you already did with the subject, I am betting you can make something of a cold solder joint.
;-)
also, did you know that a cell phone battery can get worn out? apparently they can and one of the signs is not holding a charge long . although that may not be your issue here maybe a new battery would help?
This entry and the previous one, back to back, are you to a T.
Jerjer in a box. Nirvana.
--dw
Where is Europa? And why are their expatriates so surly? And when are you going to respond to my e-mail? As in all great art, more questions are raised than are answered.
--nathan
One question: Did you leave the European bagel slinger still alive after that encounter?
What's that? You did?
How derelict of you.
ACD
Rufus Wainwright is awesome.
I had the same problem with my phone and figured it was my charger, so I got another. There was still no solid connection. I still put the blame on the charger then I realized it was my battery.
To clarify some seeming confusion: Europan is not a misspelling for European. Europan is the name of a cafe chain in New York City. It pretends to be "Euro," and I suppose they serve bread so: "Pan."
Nathan, don't take the email thing personally. :) Perhaps it's some sort of blog protocol. Who knows?
To clarify some seeming confusion: Europan is not a misspelling for European.
On the other hand, European can be a force-of-habit misspelling for Europan.
Mea culpa.
ACD
On another "note"--ever notice how damn loud the phone beeps when it tells you its battery is low? Where does all that power come from?
enjoyed the music in Dublin last night. Well done!
Living in Europa is like living in Utopa, it's addictive. Might I suggest the pasta? And I do recommend the ice cream at Penn Station, you pick the flavour, if they toast it--it's a gonner, so no worries there--flavour, size, and instant gratification...
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