So Long Astoria

This morning I woke up in Harlem to the sound of pouring rain.  I went running in Central Park, anyway.  And returned to my host home on West 122nd Street soaked in and through. 

For the second day in a row I spent several hours in my temporary office space on 34th street, down a few avenues from where I use to work at the Empire State Building.  The location comes with free wifi, free parking, and today, because of national coffee day - free coffee.  Yes, today I'm thankful for Mc Donald's. 

Later in the afternoon, after finding a parking space in Chelsea, I walked over to Union Square to meet up with one of my former students.  We then ventured down to Washington Square where a guy by the name of Justin approached us with a guitar.  He wanted to serenade us - and had a list of songs we could choose from. 

Typically I avoid these money making scams, but when I saw the song "So Long Astoria" by the Ataris on his play list, I decided he couldn't be all that bad of a guy, and why not be serenaded in the middle of New York City.

Justin serenading a couple of other gals after singing for us.

And so Justin got on one knee and played So Long Astoria.  And somehow I gave him $5 to go towards some cause I didn't catch the name of because he told me it as I was reviewing his play list.

Justin  told me I'm now in the running to win $500 and tickets to Saturday Night Live.  Supposedly he plays bass for Saturday Night Live's house band and is volunteering his time to raise money for this great cause.

Anyway, my student Kendra, Justin, and I got talking for a while.  And we heard the fabulous tale of how Justin met his fiance, and how they had known of each other for 14 years, but it wasn't until a year ago that they hung out.  And when they did, they just both knew it was right, and 9 days later Justin proposed.

I have to admit, I'm a bit envious of Justin's tale.  I'm still hoping for a story of my own someday - because right now, all of my romance stories are stories of the almost maybes.