After an afternoon of consecutive downers, the following exchange with my cousin made my day.

Unconventional families with atypical–or perhaps very Latino–rituals like a Scarface screening and complementing the usual Thanksgiving staples with pernil and rice FTW.

Anthony Williams aka “Lil Montre” posted up a small edit of himself skating the Ring Rails and his basement the Bronx, NY. Besides skating a normal practice rail Anthony got creative and made a kicker to ledge setup where he laces a sick AO Fishbrain. Check the edit and start getting as creative as Anthony.

Bronx, NY

Remembrance, Honor and Hope Ceremony
11AM to 3PM
Monsignor Del Valle Square at So. Blvd.  163rd St.
(alternate rain space: 953 Southern Blvd., Suite 201)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Brooklyn, NY

World AIDS Day Interfaith service
(St Augustine Church, 116 6th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn) (7pm)
Join others who are taking a spiritual and physical journey through AIDS.
There will be music by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Manhattan,
and on display will be a collection of paintings titled, “Preparation Series”.

World AIDS Day Event
Coney Island Cathedral, 2816 Mermaid Ave, in Brooklyn. Dec. 1st, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.,
Sponsored by Amethyst Women’s Project and
National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS of NYC.
For more information contact Nicole or Eric at 718-333-2067

___________________________________________________________________

Watchful Eye Testing, Outreach and Prevention Initiative

In collaboration with Caribbean Women’s Health Association

Commemorates World AIDS Day 2009

“Universal Access and Human Rights”
Honoring
Tracy Mack
Natashua Rice
Pastor Christina Walker
NYC Councilman Al Vann
OnTuesday, December 1, 2009
At Brooklyn Borough Hall 209 Joralemon Street 12 noon
Performances by

The Housing Works Choir & “The Queen of Gospel Pop” Kristina Halloway
For further info please call—347-533-4300 www.ourwatchfuleye.org

_______________________________________________________________

Join Gay Men of African Descent for a tasty and informative breakfast on World AIDS Day Tuesday, December 1st where representatives from Project ACHIEVE and ACRIA will present updates on the state of HIV vaccine research.

10AM to 12PM

Columbus Gaskins
Testing Coordinator
Gay Men of African Descent, Inc
44 Court Street, Suite 10
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Please RSVP at 718-222-6300 Ext 117

__________________________________________________________________________
Manhattan, NY

December 1, 2009Do You Know What Today Is? If Not………..
Find Out At These Locations!!

125th Street in front of the State OfficeBuilding on Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
116th Street and 3rd Avenue 42nd Street 7th Avenue at TimesSquare
14th Street at Union Square Park
City Hall Park Tuesday December 1, 2009 12:00pm to 4:00pmItx02bc;s
Time To Remember….. For More Information Call(212) 828-6141
____________________________________________________________________________

OUT OF THE DARKNESS
Candlelight Vigil Begins at 6:00 pmTrinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan

164 West 100th Street – (at Amsterdam Avenue)
Candlelight Procession to Broadway UCC Church2504 Broadway (at 93rd Street)
Time of Reflection and Reading of Names of Those We Have Lost to AIDS Begins at 6:30 pm

World AIDS Day Gathering Begins at 7:00 pm
Wheelchair accessible and ASL interpreted.Refreshments served following the gathering.
For more information, call (212) 367-1016 or write to krishnas@gmhc.org

Co-Sponsors:  American Run for the End of AIDS,
Broadway United Church of Christ, Gay Men’s Health Crisis,
International AIDS Prevention Initiative, Keith Haring Foundation,
LIFEbeat:  Music Industry Fights AIDS,
Trinity Lutheran Church

To download event flyers go to
www.haevents.org

______________________________________________________________________________

City Hall Park — 24 Hour Reading of Names of those we have lost in the Struggle
For a 24-hour period beginning on December 1, 2009, activists, volunteers
and those living with HIV and AIDS will read names continually at City Hall
in lower Manhattan to memorialize loved ones, to raise awareness about the twin crises
of HIV/AIDS and homelessness, and remind the world that AIDS is not over.

Come by City Hall Park on December 1, any time day or night, to join in reading the names
of those you have lost to HIV/AIDS.
Go to www.Housingworks.org/worldaidsday for more information
and to submit a name of a loved one to memorialize.
______________________________________________________________________________

TAKE THE LEAD…. STOP AIDS – KEEP THE PROMISE
4:00 pm – 7:30 pm

National WORLD AIDS DAY event at the New York Public Library – Harlem Branch.
New York Public Library – Harlem Branch
9 West 24th Street
New York, New York 10027
To download event flyers go to
www.haevents.org

______________________________________________________________________________

“Interfaith service in commemoration of World AIDS Day (in Spanish)”
United Methodist Church of the Village, 7th Ave, corner of 13th Street in Manhattan,
5:30 pm. Sponsored by the Latino Commission on AIDS.Para información llame al 212-675-3288

______________________________________________________________________________

1 de Diciembre Dia Mundial del SIDA
La Iglesia del Village,Una Iglesia Metodista Unida Progresistal
201 W de la Calle 13 (Esquina con la 7a Ave.), New York, NY
5:30 PM Vigilia, 6:00 PM Servicio Interreligioso

______________________________________________________________________________
“LIVE POSTIVE!” organized by Mount Sinai
HERE I AM
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
World AIDS Week Presents
Short documentary screening & discussion
Sponsored by: The Department of Medicine, the Center for Multicultural Affairs, the Gold Foundation for Humanism in Medicine, Student
Council, Mount Sinai Alumni Association & AMSA
Monday November 30 2009
6:30-8 PM
Annenberg 12th floor, Auditorium 12-01
FREE FOOD & DRINK FROM PIOPIO!
Watch out for more World AIDS week events beginning November 30
A portrait of one East Harlem resident living with AIDS

On World AIDS Day, December 1st, there will be a Candlelight Vigil in the Community Garden on E. 103rd and Park Avenue where there will be music, spoken word, and acknowledgements of those impacted by HIV/AIDS in East Harlem. Immediately after the vigil is the annual Viva El Barrio community celebration at Julia de Burgos Cultural Center where there be music, dance performances, food, and good times!

On December 2 in the East Harlem Café (E.104th and Lex) there will be a provocative dialogue on HIV/AIDS education in NYC Public Schools, so please come by for a good cup of café and good conversation!

The last event is on December 3 where the medical students have organized a panel discussion to expose and build the capacity of their medical student peers about the state of HIV/AIDS in NYC.

SPONSORED BY: New York Restoration Project, American Medical Student Association,
and the Mount Sinai Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs

For more information please contact: Jessica Acuna (Jessica.acuna@mssm.edu)

______________________________________________________________________________

The Riverside Church invites you to be with us on
Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Riverside Church in the City of New York
490 Riverside Drive, New York City

Sunday Morning Worship
Every Sunday at 10:45 am in the Nave

We gather each week to sing and pray, and hear the Word proclaimed

Pre-World AIDS DAY Community Service Tables
12:00 noon – 2:00 pm

Community Service Tables with:

AIDS Service Center New York City
Casa Esperanza House of Hope
Global Ministry
NYC Faith in Action for HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Education Coalition
The Riverside Church Global HIV/AIDS Ministry
S.M.A.R.T. University
United Church of Christ HIV/AIDS Network
World Vision

__________________________________________________________________

Convent Avenue Baptist Church

Invite you

Tangy’s Song! Is a compelling 20-minute documentary film that moves from fear to faith as one young HIV positive African-American woman shares more than just her amazing story but her song!

December 4, 2009

Convent Avenue Baptist Church

420 Convent Ave and 145^th Street

New York, New York 10031

Rev. Dr. Jesse T. William, Jr., Senior Pastor

Lower Sanctuary

6:00-8:00 PM

A discussion of the film will follow with Tangy Major

Light Dinner will be provided.

Confidential HIV Testing will be provided onsite from 6:00-7:30 PM

(Take the A, B, C, D trains to 145^th Station walk up the hill one block)

RSVP to HHaidsministry@aol.com by Nov 30, 2009

______________________________________________________________________________

QUEENS, NY

“STOP AIDS, KEEP THE PROMISE:  UNIVERSAL ACCESS  HUMAN RIGHTS”
9:30 am – 5:00 pm

94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.
Jamaica, NY 11451
*** Free and Confidential HIV/AIDS Testing  STD/STI will be provided by ACQC’s Education
Co-Factors Departments in Health Services Center in RM 1F01, 1st Floor ***
For directions and all information contact Robert Steptoe or Melissa Robertson
@ Queens HIV CARE Network, 718.739.2525
Or, contact Sharon Hawkins, Manager of Health Services Center,
Room 1F01, at York College – 718-262-2050

To download event flyers go to
http://nycfia.org/id34.html

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Today is the LRNY session in the Bronx, NY taking place at Hunts Points ave and Bruckner Blvd starting at 2:00PM. The Create Originals owners will be attending and giving out a free pair of the CO frames to whomever laces the best trick of the session. They will also have frames and tees for sale so make sure you’re in the Bronx today! More directions/information on the previous post below.

Bronx, NY  Executive Paint Protection is underway with the construction of their new shop in the Bronx, NY.  This shop will house a complete Eco-Friendly Car Wash along with an Xpel Paint and Headlight Protection Film Design and Installation service.  The space will also offer custom window tinting, FLX Paint graphic design and installation as well as 3M DI-NOC Caron Fiber Vinyl Installations.  Please check back for more pictures of the shop as it progresses and the grand opening date.  www.execpaintpro.com or call us at (914) 806-0585

Dennis Gelbaum, an international award winning director, producer and inventor (The Buddy Light Illuminated Safety Leash) has written ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’ – a character driven, mystery-thriller with more twists and turns than a double helix. ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt’ is now available at amazon.com -

To get his hands on his family fortune, Jason Warren has to prove DNA evidence convicting his stepfather of his mother’s murder was wrong. With the help of research scientist and DNA expert, Dr. Jennifer Neal and a team of doctors and graduate students from the USCOM North American Research Center at UC Berkeley, he sets out to challenge the International scientific community and the American judicial system.

Hal Warren was convicted of killing his wife, Ruth, solely on DNA extracted from hair samples and bodily fluids found at the crime scene. The prosecution convinced the jury that the DNA Profile matched and identified Hal Warren as the killer. There were no fingerprints found at the crime scene. There were no eyewitnesses to the crime. In fact, Hal Warren had an airtight alibi. He was someplace else when the crime was committed. But he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole. This illustrates just how strong DNA evidence can be. But what if the DNA results were wrong? What if the DNA samples actually belonged to someone else? What if the DNA samples were placed at the scene of the crime by someone trying to frame Hal Warren of the crime? What if Hal Warren did not commit the crime he was convicted of?

Jason asks us to think about this – without the presence of collaborative evidence, how can we trust DNA – especially if he can prove DNA is not only not as accurate as we have been led to believe, but that DNA in fact, might just be the fabrication of scientists and is based more on theory than fact? DNA Profiling has become big business. Think about all those we have found guilty solely on DNA evidence – think about all those we have set free solely on DNA evidence? Think about it.

But what is Jason Warren really up to? What has he done? What is he about to do? What’s his motive in all this? Is he as innocent as he wants us to believe or is he manipulating everyone and everything around him? Is he that smart, that clever, that ruthless? Will Senator Thayer and USCOM be able to control the damage as Jason jeopardizes his run for the Presidency of the United States? Is this the story of a really bad person who wins it all at the end?

Jason hired me to tell his side of the story. But I had one condition to accepting the assignment, I wanted to tell the entire story, the true story and I wanted complete access to all of the players. Jason promised me there would be no restrictions on where I could go, whom I could speak to and what I could write. Jason would arrange for all the introductions. I brought in two experts – a retired FBI agent and a psychiatrist – to help me through the process. They both warned me about Jason. We often disagreed about what the truth was. I could not tell this story without them.

“…I walk in on Stuart, apparently unexpected. It’s been some time since we last spoke. As I enter his office, I pick up an envelope off the floor. It is from the Lawyer’s Club of San Francisco. I place it on Stuart’s desk. Boxes were everywhere. I knew Stuart was moving to his new office in the Civic Center Courthouse on McAllister Street. He was headed to Department 622 that had been vacant prior to his appointment. Stuart motioned to me to sit down in one of the two chairs opposite him. I picked the one closest to the door. I removed the boxes and loose papers from the chair and sat.

Stuart hands me a sealed, white envelope. I knew what was inside. It was the results of the fingerprint analysis on Jennifer Neal. I don’t bother to open the envelope. I looked at Stuart. He looked at me. I looked at my watch. I knew that this was probably the last time I would ever see Stuart. Stuart’s cell phone rings. I got up to leave. He asks me to wait for a few minutes while he answered the call. I knew it was time to go.

I had a plane to catch…”

Dennis Gelbaum adds – “Jason’s story raises so many questions about the accuracy of DNA, the American judicial system, the international scientific community and the big business of DNA Profiling. At times, I found parts of the story difficult to write about, even more difficult to believe. I often wonder, was it always about the money? Was that it?”

Dennis Gelbaum is also the author of ‘Something About Going Home’, a book of poetry with illustrations by Christina Qualiana.

Dennis Gelbaum is presently the CEO of ramp it up entertainment.

http://www.beyondreasonabledoubtbook.com
http://www.thegelbaumblog.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/dennisjg3153
http://www.rampitupentertainment.com

Location

Cost

Free  

Contact Number

(718) 885-3467

Categories

Education, Must See Events, Nature, Tours

www.myspace.com/jinesispro

Fresh Out The Oven é o nome do aparente 1° single do novo álbum de J.Lo – Love?. Super criativo como o próprio nome do álbum, a canção é um saco, e eu não sei por que estou fazendo esse review – essa música e seu respectivo clipe são pura bost# mesmo. Acho que tô só indignada de ver uma coisa dessas à essa altura do campeonato. Parece que Jennifer só mudou seu visual e estilo de canção pra seguir tendências atuais – uma coisa meio Kylie Minogue, David Guetta, quem sabe até uma Lady GaGa enrustida  - só que ficou mais Kylie do que Jennifer, se é que vocês me entendem. A impressão que fica é que, enquanto rappers e afins estavam dominando totalmente as paradas, foi bom associar sua imagem ao Bronx, Ja Rule e LL Cool J. Agora que a coisa está pendendo um pouco mais pro Dance Pop, de repente nos deparamos com cabelo curto, fashionismo barato (meio pobre, pra falar a verdade) e Pitbull. Se bem que colocar Pitbull em qualquer trabalho musical já é um erro fatal por si só…

Como diria Dado Dolabella : Jennifer traiu o movimento.

Letícia

]]> http://irollny.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/create-originals-x-i-roll-ny-lets-roll-ny-best-trick-session-this-sunday/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:12:18 +0000 irollny http://irollny.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/create-originals-x-i-roll-ny-lets-roll-ny-best-trick-session-this-sunday/

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The OG crew from Create Originals will be attending this Sunday’s Lets Roll NY Session held by Victor Callender in the Bronx, NY and they’re bringing all their new products to premiere and sell. The Create Originals family will also be giving a free pair of CO frames for the best trick of the day. Take the #6 train to Hunts Point Ave/ Southern Boulevard. Walking directions from the train station to the first spot, the subway rail, can be found here. Session starts at 2:00PM. Make sure to be there and win your free pair of Create Originals!

Tonight in the Bronx – a writers show.

L'imbocco del ponte che collega City Island alla terraferma

Da Manhattan prendete la linea 6 della subway in direzione nord. Percorretela tutta fino al capolinea e uscite nella parte più periferica del Bronx. In mezz’ora a piedi attraversate il Pelhalm Bay Park, un tempo degradato, oggi più pulito e ordinato di Central Park. Ancora un piccolo sforzo e imboccate il corto ponte che vi conduce a City Island, un villaggio di pescatori del New England che anacronisticamente è parte integrante della Grande mela.

Ingiustamente ignorata dai turisti perché troppo fuori mano, troppo sperduta in un Bronx temuto e disprezzato, City Island si allarga nelle acque del Long Island Sound, lo stretto di mare tra il Bronx e  Queens. Lunga poco più di due chilometri e larga 5oo metri o giù di lì, l’isola è costituita da una via principale che la attraversa per tutta la lunghezza e da una serie di stradine senza uscita che, da entrambi i lati, conducono al mare. Nelle acque riparate dello stretto trovano oggi rifugio innumerevoli schiere di barche a vela e motoscafi che dondolano pigramente all’ancora.

Che il posto sia completamente differente dal famigerato Bronx, di cui pure è parte, lo si capisce subito guardando la gente per le strade e soprattutto, nei giardini dei cottage che fronteggiano l’acqua. Cottage all’inglese, con giardino e grandi alberi, ben tenuti che ispirano un senso di pace e benessere.

 Anche i negozi sono diversi. All’imbocco dell’isola una bakery offre dolci fatti in casa, scaffali pieni di libri e tavolini su cui è piacevole sedersi a leggere e mangiare. Più oltre negozietti d’antiquariato e anticaglie e  tantissimi ristoranti.

L’isola fu acquistata da un inglese di nome Pell che la comprò dagli indiani Siwanoy nel 1655 e la lasciò ai suoi eredi che ne restarono proprietari per circa cento anni. Gli abitanti erano allora circa 1000, vivevano in case di campagna e si dedicavano all’allevamento. Nel 1761 il nuovo proprietario (tale Palmer), sfruttando la sua posizione strategica per il transito delle navi, avrebbe voluto trasformarla in una città commerciale e in un porto in grado di rivaleggiare con Manhattan. Questo grandioso progetto era però destinato a morire sul nascere, arrestato dallo scoppio della Rivoluzione americana.

L’sola cominciò a svilupparsi veramente solo all’inizio dell’Ottocento grazie alla pesca delle ostriche e a numerosi cantieri per la costruzione di imbarcazioni. Ancora durante la seconda guerra mondiale in questi cantieri si costruirono molte imbarcazioni da sbarco utilizzate in Europa. 

I venerdì e sabato sera, la sonnacchiosa atmosfera da villaggio di pescatori che ha fatto di City Island un luogo particolarmente amato dai suoi residenti cede il posto alle folle di chi viene a gustare i prodotti di mare offerti dai numerosi ristoranti a buon mercato specializzati in aragoste e frutti di mare.

Check out the hot new music video by Jennifer Lopez “Fresh Out The Oven ft Pitbull”.

All I know is Im loving the styling, the shoes are KILLING IT!!, plus there’s this looping effect they’re using on the clips which I love, it looks so sexy and give the video a new breath of life rather than just straight cuts one after another.

Thumbs Up Jenny!!

*EDIT*: This is not the first release off Jennifer’s new album “Love”, just a buzz single the debut single is “Louboutins”. “Love” is due out January 26th 2010

Directed By: Jonas Åkerlund

I don’t disagree, but I’d go farther and say he is a baby. Or rather, a child.

This whole episode has saddened me, especially because it feels like it’s on an endless loop. Gun violence has plagued the Bronx for as long as I can remember. (When I was in the 8th grade, a classmate lost his life playing Russian Roulette.) The abundance of unsupervised, idle hands (due to the absence of over-worked parents, as well as just plain ol’ absentee ones, and lack of teen enrichment opportunities) coupled with readily available guns at their reach, turn teenage bravado and beefs that seem life-or-death into such with the click of a trigger.

NEWLY CONSTRUCTED APARTMENTS FOR RENT IN THE BRONX

CRESTON TOWERS is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for 41 affordable housing rental units under construction at 2238 Creston Ave Bronx, NY 10453. This building is being constructed through the New Housing Opportunity Program (New HOP) of the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) Participation Loan Program (PLP) and NYC Housing Trust Fund (HTF).

For more information

© Laura Hanifin/ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Why dream of Sugar Plum Fairies when you can dream about your favorite artist performing live at Central Park SummerStage in 2010!  As the cold weather months begin to settle in, we here at City Parks Foundation are eagerly preparing for our most memorable Central Park SummerStage season yet in celebration of our 25th Anniversary.  That’s right, SummerStage is having a birthday and we couldn’t be more thrilled.

We would like to encourage our friends and fans of SummerStage to share with us who they would most like to see in the park next season.  To submit your favorite artist email us at submissions@cityparksfoundation.org or  send us a tweet on our twitter page.

Who knows? Maybe your dreams will come true!

Listening to Maroon 5’s “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long” album. It hasn’t got that much play, of late. Blame is on Phoenix, Cobra Starship and Buraka Som Sistema. I already see this playlist is gonna play round-and-round and I really don’t mind, “Songs About Jane” is next.

I once read in book-and by read in a book, I mean, heard on television-that at any given time the human mind is toggling between five and nine things. I always try to count the things that I’m thinking, but I lose focus. Or, thinking about the list, bumps one thing off of it. You can realize when one of the topics is gaining the lead when your headphones are on. Sometimes I’m on the train and I’d miss a whole block of a song/playlist and I wonder what happened. I didn’t go anywhere, I wanted to rock-out when Devo’s “Whip It” came on, too bad I was thinking about bacon-wrapped boneless chicken breasts, the health care debate on Capitol Hill and plot lines from the L-Word…

Uggh. Doreen Williams from 7th grade, Ms. Haime’s class at I.S. 195 in Harlem. Hmm, I guess she peeked in junior high school. I bet she spit out at least 2 cubs already. Sheesh, I hope so, that would account for her face…and waist. When I see somebody from past schools and they look rather “unfavorable,” I don’t even waste my time getting their attention. I probably didn’t like them much in school and it looks like their wardrobe’s still there. I’m’ good. I look so different from junior high and high school, most people won’t even recognize me. Hmmm, the chick with the biggest mouth in grade 7 is now the lady with the biggest gut on train 6. I don’t think she has all of her teeth either…can you say, AntiHorny… Leave it to an old classmate to help you validate your own existence.
**The names were changed to protect the ugly**

YIKES! 10 Year High School Reunion is beating down my back. I have less than 3 years to be internationally known by my first name, alone.

“Kids these days do the darndest things” <~ A clear sign that I’m ‘aging.’ I remember when I got my first tongue ring at 15. It was more about “everyone’s doing it, so, so am I” over anything else, but I thought it was cool. I wonder would I have gotten it if other people didn’t have it also. I didn’t even know about its probative value between the sheets til later. Some trends stay, some just fall flat. I can’t see how piercing your tongue horizontally along tip, is something that can really be “in” these days. That just obstructs and hinders everything you could possibly do with your tongue. It’s a lisp-maker and it’s beyond me…I’m not, nor will I ever be there. I might play a freak on television, but I still gotta ride the MTA.

I learned this tidbit from the Science Section of the NY Times: There are more bacteria in your face when you first turn on your shower than when you’re down in the NY subway. Whether or not this is a comfort to you, accept it as an introduction to three vignettes from my recent travels on the subways of New York. Enjoy!

1.

Rush hour is underway and to add an extra twist, and a few extra thousand bodies, there’s a Yankee game tonight. The 4 train is so crowded I have to let a few pass before I manage to wriggle into a car. I push a bit and duck under a few arms—people tend to stand near the doors even when there’s more room toward the middle of the car—and work over to a spot where I can just about breathe. Just then, big shove comes from behind and to avoid a battering I bend to one side. My hip leans with me, a few inches in the direction of the nose of a woman seated to my right. She’s a formidable, well-dressed middle-aged woman, the sort that Chris Rock makes jokes about, and indeed, she huffs at me, “I don’t need no butt in my face!”

As that was hardly my intention, I straighten up as quickly as I can. I look down and she’s still glaring at me. I smile at her and say, “Are you okay now?”

For several seconds I can read no change in her mood but then I think that I see a tiny relaxing of her. I decide to call this a truce. At least I’m not going to be involved in a major territorial dispute. The subway stops at a station, then picks up speed again as we head toward 125th street.

Suddenly, the woman looks up at me and says, as if it’s the first time she’s ever seen me me, “Would you like to sit down?”

“That’s okay, I said, I’m fine.” And we exchange smiles.

2.

The train’s above ground now, and slowing. The conductor announces in a thick Brooklyn accent, “161st, Yankee Stadium! Yankee fans exit the station at the rear of the platform. Minnesota fans get back on the train and keep on going.”

3.

Tired from a day at the Bronx zoo, I trudge the two flights up from the street. The afternoon is waning and a cold wind is finding all the gaps between the scabrous advertising signs that line sides of the subway platform. At times like this I’d much prefer the muggy subway, but the No. 2 train isn’t underground north of 149th street. I see that there’s a No. 2 train marooned about half a block north where the track curves, causing those cars in my line of sight to lean at a very unstable angle. Oh, oh. That could be trouble. Then I notice that the train isn’t even on the right track, it seems to be on some sort of in between track, but it’s hard to be certain because of the curve.  As I’m calculating the odds of freezing to death or finding alternative routes, a man in an overcoat comes up and asks, “Has that train been there long?”

I give him a quick evaluation and decide he’s harmless. Anyhow, there are at least 30 other people around. I tell him that train’s been there at least five minutes. He says with more interest than I think it merits, “I bet they’re holding it for the cops.”

He nods his head and I follow with my eyes until I see a NY city cop is standing across the tracks on the northbound side, talking into a phone. This could easily be a coincidence but my new companion doesn’t give me a chance to say that. He continues, “The other day, I’m at the station and this guy — he’s got his girlfriend balanced in front of him, walking on his feet and they go through the turnstyle together and a cop sees them. He stops them and the chick she takes off, just like that. The guy gets arrested. Howdiya  like that?”

“Err,” I say, not knowing if I was supposed to not like the girl running off or not like the guy getting arrested. Undeterred, the man continues, “That cop he’s calling to stop the train, for sure.”

I shrug and casually mosey away to another spot on the platform. Across the way the cop is still on the phone. Probably his wife. The No. 2 train appears and I step toward it, holding my hat against the cold rush of air. I don’t see which car my platform buddy enters.

Mickey Hoffman is author of the mystery novel, School of Lies, published by Second Wind Publishing.

www.secondwindpublishing.com

Lies, Schemes and.... school