Manhattan Transfer

Last night was an easy night. Our souls and our livers needed a rest. I thought I'd meet SwampCity and some of her collegues for a drink or two at Odeon. After that, home to sleep.

So, at Stage One the Plan is:
Odeon
Home

On the way to the Odeon I stopped by the Patriot. I don't get to see my down-and-dirty barfly friends since they closed the Village Idiot. I thought I should see if they were hanging around Tommy McNeil's other joint. Of course they were. And they were drinking PBR cans and shots of Wild Turkey.

Stage Two:
Patriot
Odeon
Home

Odeon was next. The Swampster was drinking at the far end of the bar with three other ink stained journalists. We chat, mostly about the opening of the MoMA and people we don't know in common at Yale. Toward the end of my first Jameson, I get text from Evil. He's in Good World Bar & Grill with his gang.

Stage Three:
Patriot
Odeon
Good World
Home

After a couple of more at the Odeon, Swamp and I headed off toward Good World. Called Evil to confirm. No longer in Good World. They're on their way to Spring Lounge.

Stage Four:
Patriot
Odeon
Good World
Spring Lounge
Home

Two calls came in on the cab ride from Odeon to Spring. The Bronx Defender would meet us in Spring if we promised to go by the Cellar with him later. Danny Brooklyn called and we agreed to meet him in the Village Tavern.

Stage Five:
Patriot
Odeon
Good World
Spring Lounge
Village Tavern
Cellar
Home


Evil buys shots of chilled vodka in Spring Lounge, which I chase with Jameson's on the rocks. The bar is overheated and everyone is sweating. SwampCity starts taking off her clothes, transforming her look from librarian to lifeguard. Bronx Defender arrives. More shots. Past, present and future begin to take on unsettled meanings (which I illustrate by shifting into the present-tense from here on). The KTB crew is off for Don Hills. We agree to meet them there.

Stage Six:
Patriot
Odeon
Good World
Spring Lounge
Don Hills
Village Tavern
Cellar
Home


We stumble out into the street and get a call from B. He's been bowling and wants to meet us for a drink in Hell's Kichen. Rudy's. Agreed but only after we stop by Cellar. Somehow we've forgotten all about Don Hills and the Village Tavern.

Stage Seven
Patriot
Odeon
Good World
Spring Lounge
Don Hills
Village Tavern
Cellar
Rudys
Home


Drinks in the Cellar. Everyone is ridiculous. The world has melted away and we're flying like drunken angels through an uncreated universe that is empty of everything except divinity and us. It is wonderful.

B. shows up at Cellar with a couple of friends even though he's supposed to be at Rudy's. No matter. Whiskey, whiskey, nancy whiskey.

Stage Eight
Patriot
Odeon
Good World
Spring Lounge
Don Hills
Village Tavern
Cellar
Rudys
Home



The bar empties. People fall into canary colored cars. The street lights have trails of drunken glory. The Washington Square Park arch looms. Behind it: still an emptiness where the twin towers once rose.

Goodnight New York.