a tale of two cities

"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." - T.S. Eliot

Ok, so a whole week has passed without an update from moi. Je suis tres desole. I've thought of my poor blog often, but haven't had a chance to sit down and write something.

Let me briefly show you two very different days in my life this past week.

On Tuesdays, I attend my church's lunch time Bible study on Wall Street. This week I decided to go early and stop in for some coffee at the Financier Patisserie.

I'd visited there once over a year ago with my Dad, and it had made a lasting impression. My second visit was not a disappointment.

I enjoyed a delicious cafe au lait with a tiny madeleine in a lovely surrounding, read my newspaper, and felt very much at peace with the world. I hope to make visits to Financier Patisserie a regular thing on Tuesday mornings.

I was so inspired that I decided to visit another coffee shop the very next day. And thus began the second half of this story. I didn't want to go all the way into Manhattan again. So in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, that leaves you with one option: ghettolicious Dunkin Donuts. Let's just say this WILL NOT become a regular thing on Wednesday mornings. The coffee was so awful, I couldn't even finish it.

I had taken my newspaper along and was reading in the Metro Section about a double stabbing at a housing project in Brooklyn. There was a picture of said housing project, and I thought, "wow, that looks familiar." Then I realized it was right across the street from the very Dunkin Donuts where I was sitting. I walk by there regularly. (That sound you hear? My parents having heart attacks.)

Btw, the article said the stabbings were related to a domestic dispute. so I'm not too worried.

I had put down the paper and was reading something else when a very confused looking homeless lady came up to me.

Lady: excuse me, miss, are you done with the newspaper?

Emma: yes I am. would you like to have it?

Lady: are you done with that newspaper?

Emma: yes, that's right

Lady: are you done with that newspaper?

Emma: I sure am

Lady: May I have it?

Emma: yes, you may

Lady: May I have it that newspaper?

Emma: I said you could have it

Lady: thank you!

Emma: my pleasure

Lady: thank you so much!

Emma: that's fine

Lady: thank you so much!

Emma: hmmmmm

I left soon after. Yes, there are are some extreme contrasts here. It does make one stop and think...

anyway, lots more fun stuff went down this week including an awesome visit from 4 of my friends. will post more as time allows. au revoir.