The Streets

We got the tickets! It was a great night! The gig was at Webster Hall- a special night as it was the last night of their longest ever tour. Hundreds of people... The crowd was loud- going crazy by the last song. I know most of my friends love the streets and I thought about them a bit when I was there.

Yesterday was insane; Steve calls me in bed, just before ten telling me to come and help him move apartment. I was out at Roosevelt Island so got a train back down town. Steve, Koala Jack, and I were moving Steve and Sarah's possessions from downtown Manhattan to Harlem thomasr: about 130 blocks . Sarah's old apartment is on the fifth floor, and there is no elevator, so we spent ages moving boxes and large furniture up and down the stairs. We had a small truck/large van and filled it to the brim, with each piece of furniture wrapped in hot furniture wrapping material. The roof of the van was made of plastic so the light and heat simmered the furniture, and me. Of course, there was not enough room upfront for Jake- no, no Jake had to sit in the back of a mobile sauna (without the nice refreshing feeling) So for 20 mins I sat there bouncing around hoping that the bookshelf wouldn't fall on to me from on top of the tea-chest.

I kept my self entertained for the full hour of this first leg of the trip by guessing whether the pool of sweat accumulating at my right elbow would beat the pool at my left. Outside it was around 31c with high humidity - inside, probably around 42 with humidity. There was no air, I'm not certain if the truck was airtight, but if it was filled with water it would take maybe two days for the water to drain out, so breathing wasn't exactly easy. Thirty 30 mins into the trip I was down to my underwear. An hour later we get to Harlem, the engine turns off, the back door opens up and this huge rush of freezing air comes in. It wasn't actually cold but 31c feels like 5c after a ride in a moving truck up through the streets of Manhattan out to Harlem. It took out a lot of my energy but we got right into it moving the boxes up, this time, only two flights of stairs... OMG I just realised- it was four story's up- just with only two flights of stairs, so they were longer. Once we had carted everything up the stairs, we got back in the truck. This time the back was completely empty so I couldn't rest against anything, so for the next hour I am bouncing around the back of the truck in my underwear! The Van's engine is right under the floor of the back so the only thing in the back that was not as hot to sit on were the furniture wrap covers, I think they were made of a mixture between wool, polyester and nylon.... and MAGMA. So, we finally stop back at Sarah's old place; the door comes up, and there I am sweating like crazy in my underwear- as one of those buses where there is no roof so tourists can get a good feel for the city comes by...

What could I do but wave?

we spent the next few hours moving the last of Sarah's stuff into the truck... and when I say the last it was actually more than the first trip, it barely fitted into the truck.

The guy who was helping us on the first trip- Theo- had quit for the day, so I got promoted from the position of "Mexican" to "up front rider". We drive up to Harlem again and spend what was left of our energy hauling more large furniture and boxes up the stairs. Finally it was all done at about 1:30AM- 15 hours from when we began. We drank a beer and marvelled at the magnitude of our accomplishment. I thanked Steve for letting me have use of his sauna and for the great workout - free of charge too- unlike every other gym in the city!

Then I departed back to Ajay's apartment, where I am staying now while he is in Chicago and LA. My body is pretty sore today, but I had a great nap in between world cup games today- Italy and Germany got through. gooooooooooo Nicaragua!!!!!!!