Clearing the slate

”It’s been real and it’s been fun, but it hasn’t been real fun.”
—Bob Delle, old friend and former USMC lieutenant

It’s the day of the Big Party, but yesterday it seemed like every other hour police cars, fire trucks or ambulances were blaring somewhere. I guess holiday stress, combined with some quirky weather, can contrib- ute to more than a few emergencies. Godspeed NYPD, FDNY and other local response organizations.

Today it’s considerably calmer, at least for the moment. I hear the clip-clop-clip-clop of a horse-drawn carriage gliding past my building on its way to the stable off of Eleventh Avenue. It’s a comforting sound, one as old as the city itself.

My dog Ilsa and I just got back from our morning stroll in Central Park. The warm temperatures have softened the fields, and I had to remove my hikers and clean the mud off of my blissful mutt before we reentered the apartment. Preparations for the New Year’s ball-drop in Times Square are well under way. Helicopters have been airborne since before dawn. Tourists are arriving at hotels by the busload.

I won’t be anywhere near that festive mob scene this year. My friend Fausto and his band The Fabulous Faustones are performing tonight at Walker’s, a nice little bar/restaurant in downtown TriBeCa. So I’ll be ringing in the New Year with some fellow musicians. They’ll be playing jazz, swing, blues, roots rock and Cajun music. It should be fun. Real fun; kick the holiday doldrums in the ass kind of fun. If you’re in town and have no place to go, come join us. The band begins at ten and plays until two. I can’t think of a better way to clear the slate.

To all my readers, a Happy and Healthy New Year. I’ll resume posting short essays at the Hell’s Kitchen Dispatch on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Stay tuned, tell your friends and please chime in with your comments. I’d love to hear from you.