Summer In The City

It's starting to get warm. Summer is almost here. It takes a bit getting used to not having to put on socks, and boots, and scarves, and heavy coats. Now, you actually have to match your outfit because you won't have a heavy, long down jacket wrapped all around you. And your hair must be done because no more can you just throw on a hat. If only my limbs had a bit more of a tan then they do, I would be one happy camper.

There is something kinda amazing about this city this time of year. You can feel people's edges melting away. It's about to be summer, this is what you work towards all year round, and now it is here. People are taking it easy, chilling, relaxing now while they can, before it gets so unbelievably hot and all you want to do is crawl inside an AC unit. It was a busy time last night at the laundromat. They had every door and window open to get any type of a breeze circulating as the 20 some giant dryers, turned our clothes dry. They had a soothing mix of 80's/90's pop/rock classic ballads playing that I think everyone secretly wanted to burst out singing, but no one did. While we waited for our cycles to end we all sat around and watched Caso Cerrado. Then we claimed our tables and started the folding process. During which I had a thought about how strange it was that my under-roos were oddly close to the next folders shirt pile, and how his under-roos were so close to that ladies towel pile. And it made me laugh, we take all this time and energy in life, putting on clothing and taking precautions to not show our underwear to people, only for you to put it all on display at the laundromat so every Tom, Dick, and Harry can see them. But somehow, its not weird. After spending almost 2 hours there you start to feel a bond with your fellow washers. You feel like giving everyone a high-five upon leaving, feeling like you all just really accomplished something. We all left that night a bit shiny and dewy from a subtle sweat built up by a night of good, solid laundry doing, and the smell of Downy that followed us home.

Upon arriving home, you are greeted by the neighborhood UPS guy. He is always so nice, and everyone on the block knows, and loves him. What's not to love, he has gifts for you in his big brown truck, and he delivers them with a smile and a light hearted joke usually. As always you have to stop and pet Minnie, the little dog that lives 3 doors down, as well as saying hi to her owner. It's nice to come home and all the window are open and you can hear the city outside starting to slow down. With the house smelling like fresh laundry, I decided that tonight was the perfect night for tacos! I turned on my iTunes, which just so happened to play a perfect blend of Bob Marley, Eddie Vedder, Jack Johnson, Edith Piaf, and The Kinks that I could have sworn it grew a brain and knew just what I was in need of to set the mood just right on the perfectly warm May night. I decided to have my tacos and beer out on my fire escape. From up there I could see down into the rest of my neighbors backyards. Some were BBQ-ing, others were gardening, I could see some gathering around the TV about to start watching some prime time show, and one lucky duck who was passed out in his hammock. I decided to end this night by watching one of my surfing documentaries, so I could fall asleep dreaming of a life like that. But, not until I watched the final moments of a beautiful sunset over beloved Brooklyn:)