DAY ONE

 After eating a gummy I got on the party bus at Majestic around 8:30 pm on New Year's Eve. This followed a full day of deer drives, a couple of sakes with Bird and the high of Savage dropping that buck. We were headed for The Dale. This is our Max. Fish, or Claire's, or Ma Betcher's, or Squirrel Cage. Pick one. The place was just starting to crank when the crowd wanted to get back on the bus and head on to Velma's (aka NG's) to bring in the New Year. I had an overwhelming curiosity regarding a packed night at The Dale. So I stayed put. I figured I could get a ride to the party at any time. The bus left.

For years in the late 80's and early 90's I worked at Max. Fish on Ludlow in the East Village. Chuckles McCormick and I bussed tables and held down the door. You develop a thick skin and contempt for the generally drunk public when you work at a bar or nightclub. Holidays are the worst. Halloween and New Year's Eve stand out as "for the tourists" and bridge and tunnel weekend warrior nights. It all came back around 11:00 pm sitting at the bar at The Dale. Great pizza and good drinks. Love the owners!!!  Closed Tues. and Wed. 

I was lonely (and very old) in a room full of partying, very happy, much younger, strangers. Had I made the wrong call by staying? But, instead of folding and giving into the malaise I remembered I had another gummy and a hit of Molly in my pocket. I waited on the Molly, ate the gummy and ordered another beer. By midnight I'd made a couple of new friends, kissed a strange girl, danced with Minnie and Real Estate Dave and got a ride to the party with Chris and Masha (Greg's brother). Then I ate the Molly. I remember that Chris was an International Yo-Yo champion and.........I don't remember much after that. There's some blurry pictures. I love this scene. In the end, I was happy I'd brought in the new year at the Dale. This crew is amazing!!!!! All LOVE for the New Year. 2024 is shaping up nicely.