06-03/Tuesdays with Morrie

Last night there was a scent in the air that took me to an old place. It wasn't the warmth of the sweet humid summer air, but rather something more pungent - the likes of apricots, vanilla, and other chemically produced pheromones. It was summer on bell blvd.

Steve and I strutted the blvd. I was draped in my Met's David Wright warm-up jersey, and Old Navy board shorts. Steve had the usual blue under armor short sleeve blue t-shirt. I didn't even know that they make those at all.

Bell blvd. has gone through secret renovations. Maybe they weren't so secret since I barely had been there. I was confining my mid week drinking to our old hole in the wall Winnie Ranigans, who really had a few holes in their walls. Their holes, however, had mice running through them, and a "cook" complete with colostomy bag. We had known one of the bartenders who hooked us up constantly, and to start they had 6 dollar pitchers anyway. Other than the Met or Yankee game, the bar had the entertainment value of an "Evening Shade" marathon, and that's even with pretending Burt Reynold's had on the oversized hat.

There are so many new hip places now, one easily recognized as the "Brews Brothers," the sign complete with Jake and Elwood silhouettes. Johnny Famous', a new "western" type club/bar complete with mechanical bull, has all suburban gay men ecstatic that their prayers were answered.

First Edition, still has 7 inch TV's and a drink "special" that consists of 3.50 pints of Coors Light. Really? That's the best you can do? You have 15, 5 inch TV's but you charge 3.50 for a skunky Coors. Terrible.

We ended up at Sullivan's but opted for sitting inside, not wanted table service. After a few 4.50 Coronas, and stories of Steve asking bartenders at a club, " Are we in Manhattan?" after they charged 34 dollars for 3 drinks and a beer, we decided to leave. Walking back to the car we counted numerous college aged gals dressed up, boobs on display, smelling like French hookers. I don't know if anyone gave them the memo, but it was Tuesday. Thanks to Steve, he reminded them by simply saying, " It's Tuesday."

One couple was making out, on the outside step of Winnie Rannigans. Winnie's had recently become a coke bar, and their crowd had significantly changed. One thing was noticeable, the blvd. was starting to bustle. Really? Tuesday? Is summer that strong?

"I guess these people don't have to work tomorrow."

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