Daily Blague

Last night, having had a lot of fun (and a lot to drink), but finding myself home alone at a reasonable hour, I quite predictably went into cutup mode - and put my foot in it. I wrote the following entry.

I don't get many nights out on the town, due to my police record, but imagine my thrill at being asked to spend a night on the town with the fire chief of Itchboro, New Jersey. I was so happy to be photographed with someone important that I actually showed my teeth - something I never do - while the fire chief, notwithstanding mufti, managed to looked very official.

If only more denizens of the suburbs knew how we Gothamites longed to be photographed with them - I'd smile so much more often.

("Itchboro" came to me much later. I initially wrote "Bogota," which is a real town that, it dawned on me eventually, might have a real fire chief. It never occurred to me that Joe would mind being likened to a fire chief. But I can see why he might mind the "Itchboro" part. Hence this late-in-the-day repair.)

Anyway, here's what happened. Aaron, Joe and I had just walked out of Grand Central, where we'd had drinks. Aaron, claiming that it was a school night (which it was), was going to head home. Joe and I were going to cross 42nd Street, to have dinner at Pershing Square. Who should be standing right in our path but Sean Maloney, a candidate for New York State Attorney General. Joe ran up to introduce himself. Reading his mind, I pulled my camera out of the bag I was carrying it and, because of my slight palsy, which makes flash photography very difficult, handed it to Aaron. "Take a picture!"

But Joe had his back to us, and Aaron seemed unsure about the propriety of taking an unposed shot. Within several blinks of an eye, Joe and I were lined up for the photo above, which Aaron was happy to take. I can't say why Joe looks so serious, but I suspect that it's because he was wishing that I - or at any rate the other person in the picture - were Sean Maloney.

Then Joe went back to Mr Maloney, who was happy to have his picture taken with the man behind Joe.My.God. As well he should be!