Brief case stories

STORY 1
It was before September 11, 2001.  We were living in NYC.  When John thomas and Tommy were gone I often went down to the twin towers to get half price tickets to Broadway shows.  One morning, I headed down as usual, but I got off at the wrong stop on the train.  That is no problem.  I just decided to walk the extra blocks instead of getting back on the train.

I kept walking but  couldn't find the twin towers.  ( you know those towers that were, for awhile, the tallest in the world?)  Finally I stopped a man on the street who was striding to work, briefcase in hand.  I said "excuse me sir, but could you tell me where the twin towers are?"  With a disgusted look that only a New Yorker can have on his face.  He sat his briefcase down, placed his hands on my shoulders, moved me over a few steps, pointed up, took his hands away, picked up his briefcase and walked away.  Other buildings had blocked my view.  There they were..in all their glory.  I laughed and walked about a block to get my tickets.

STORY 2 
 We were living in an apartment on 99th street and Broadway.  After Christmas, people just put their trees on the street  for the city to pick up.  The year we lived in that apartment, the city was slow picking up the garbage after Christmas.  I can't remember, but it seems like the city garbage people went on a strike.   As I looked out my window, the garbage kept piling up on top of those trees.  Dogs would come by and use them for a bathroom.  Finally I stood it as long as I could and I grabbed some grocery bags and went outside to pick up garbage.  I wrapped my hands with the bags and went to work.

The can was right down the street on the corner, but the people used the trees instead of the cans!  Our door man, Miguel, just stood at the door of our building and laughed at me.  He said "Pat, before you leave you are going to clean up NYC one block at a time!"  I just kept picking up trash and carrying it to the can on the corner which was starting to get full.  

As I walked back and forth, all of a sudden a man in a suit and tie, carrying a brief case stopped beside me, sat his briefcase down and started helping me carry garbage, and stuff it inside the can.  When we finished, he nodded, picked up his briefcase and walked away!

STORY 3
The guys had gone out of town for a gig.  Their plane was delayed and we had a reading of one of the guy's shows that night.  The scripts were at our apartment and weren't bound.  They called me to come and meet them in Union Square and bring the scripts, a hole punch and 3 ring binders. I piled all of this into a briefcase,  jumped on the train and rode to meet them.  When I got there, they came up out of the subway about the time I arrived.  We found a big box on the street, so we sat it up  for an "office", punched our scripts, put them into binders, jumped on the train and went uptown to our reading!

STORY 4
The guys had left to go do their usual weekend gig.  When they got to the airport, Tommy realized he had forgotten his briefcase.  He  called and said "you may not make it before our plane takes off but could you try?"  So I did.  I grabbed the briefcase, ran outside, flagged down a taxi, and said something I have always wanted to say!  "Get me to Laquardia....FAST!"  If you have never ridden in a NYC taxi, it is quite an experience, especially if you tell them to go fast.  They do anyway, but giving them permission makes it even more exciting!  

When we got to the airport, Tommy was standing there waiting!  I made it!  

My driver said, do you want me to wait?  I said "no.  I'll catch a train back."  (Much cheaper)  My driver didn't like that very much. I could tell from the way he screeched away from the curve!  HA!