bigmacbear | A work outing (Morning check-in)

Where: Desk at home
Wearing: Nothing
H Factor: 5
C Factor: 8

Yesterday afternoon I was listening to some of my cow-orkers¹ chatting about living on Long Island and the cost thereof. The conversation went into demographics, and one of my colleagues, Gerry, mentioned that his high school was about 70% black and 25% Hispanic, with only 5% or less being white. It so happens that is the same high school Gary (

gmjambear) graduated from (Uniondale), only Gary did so 10 years earlier than Gerry. So I told Gerry so. His response: "Who's Gary?"

I'm generally out to my office-mates, but Gerry (until now) had been the exception. He's somewhat of a "born-again" Christian, tends not to attend social events involving the other folks in the office, and as a result had never met Gary. So I hesitated a moment and finally said "He's my housemate."

Immediately my other colleague from Long Island, Rich (who has met Gary and, until just before his marriage, lived with a gay roommate) pipes up, "Are you guys going to get married?"

I felt slightly embarrassed about not just telling the whole truth, and without much further thought about it proceeded to carry on as though Gerry knew everything all along, and let the chips fall where they may. I responded, "We've discussed it, but I don't think we will any time soon."

Gerry let out a simple, "Oh." The light bulb had obviously gone off.

Rich went on, "Where's the nearest place you could go if you wanted to get married?" I responded, "Niagara Falls." Rich said he would make a mental note of that, and the conversation drifted to other topics.

I suppose I needn't have worried. Thanks Rich. ;-)

¹The other people in your office. WARNING: Orking cows is dangerous, and possibly illegal in the state of Utah.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nassau County Medical Center is (or was) the tallest building in Nassau County. The building hosts the county's emergency radio services and transmits (or retransmits?) all 911 related radio calls for the county. I think there is a building in Happauge (feh!) that is now taller, but EAB doesn't make the grade.

The Nassau County Jail is actually a lower building - one doesn't quite want the tallest building in the county to hold convicted felons, does one? though the jail was featured in the Robert Redford movie The Hot Rock. Interestingly the county hospital's housing for its residents is located along the border with the jail and looks out on the barbed wire. One can only wonder what the interns we're stealing from the third world can think when they see the jail.

I know Uniondale Ave - my aunt lives in Bellmore, and I used to catch the bus at the corner of Front St (across from the art supply store where I bought my calligraphy nibs).

I grew up in Malverne, exit 17S on the Southern State, and commuted to M.R. by chartered county bus. My district chartered public buses, and then we were given bus passes so we could stay late and commute home through Hempstead terminal (conveniently located only one block from a certain movie theater). The bus passes also enabled me to while away my youth at Roosevelt Field, Gimbels, third floor. Ahem.

Bars? Pal Joey's was such a sad place, but was Freckle Bellies any better?

A work outing (Morning check-in)

Re: Small world...I'm intrigued.