NYC Bus Tours

A Sunny Day on the Great White Way – 42nd Street

The other passenger on this slow boat to nowhere was the candy ladies son, who also happened to be the manager. He, like his Mom didn’t talk much, but was very protective. Seconds after I’d show up downstairs he would emerge from his office and hover around by the popcorn machine making sure I wasn’t hitting on her. Eventually, if I got too persistent he’d intercede very formally.

“May I help you, sir?”

I’d been there three weeks! He’s acting like I just popped out of the sky.
He’d turn and bark at his mother.

“Straighten the candy ma! I said fix the candy ma, it looks like your bedroom”

Say what, did she live in a sea of candy bars? Instantly in my minds eye I saw her getting out bed, slipping on her housecoat, putting on her bunny slippers and rustling off to the bathroom through a sea of spent candy wrappers.

Well, we all have our quirks, right!

Being he was in earshot, I hi-hoed him and tried to engage in some chit-chat, but he had his head down counting soda cups like precious gems. It was the way they kept the books; he had to account for every cup, pennies, nickels, dimes.

My cheeriness seemed to rub them both the wrong way so I headed back up to the projection booth. On my way up I glanced out the one window in the theater that had a view of the outside. I could see the sun shining brightly in a brilliant blue sky; the sidewalks full of people bustling about their business. They looked so happy and purposeful.

1) 42nd Street Projectionist

2) Still in show biz

3) Boredom and the booth

4) Straighten the candy Ma

5) Set your traps here

6) Pandemonium breaks out

7) We’re gonna come up there and kick your ass !

8 ) A torrent of four letter words