The S.P.E.

Chapter 9

"The Biiiiiiiig Apple!" Andy and Ollie Pesto were perhaps not the most conventional choice for traveling companions but their enthusiasm more than made up for their idiosyncrasies. Besides, who am I to throw stones?

"Yeah, yeah, pipe down. I don't want to look like a tourist!" I heatedly whispered. I shoved them into the street with the rest of the pedestrians.

"The crosswalk isn't green!" Andy protested. He and Ollie balked like stubborn children. I just kept pushing them across forty second street towards Madam Tussauds.

"Ugh, you're such noobs."

I spent some of the money I was saving up for my business classes on a trip to New York with my favorite wacky twins. They were home from school on spring break and Tina and Zeke told me told to take the weekend and go have fun with my friends while they took care of the restaurant. I wanted to protest but not very hard, so I just accepted this gift with grace. I basically just told Andy and Ollie to pack a weekend of stuff (including their dad's Mastercard) and dragged them to the train station. A few of hours later, we disembarked from the bus that we hopped in Atlantic City at the Port Authority bus station just a block away from our hotel.

Trying to wrangle them both was a bit like herding cats, but I knew we would have lots of fun together. They were complaining of hunger and since I wasn't about to let them pull me towards some touristy Hard Rock Wolfgang whatever, I said were going to grab a regular New York slice and then see some cool New York shit.

We went to the Dakota building and then across the street to the park. We visited Obscura Antiques until Andy got freaked out by all the two-headed fetal pigs in jars. I was trying to talk them into going to the Ruins of the Roosevelt Smallpox Hospital when the look of panic in their eyes told me that was something I would have to do on my own. Instead I gave in to the side of me that said I needed to be nice and asked them what they wanted to see. Without skipping a beat, they yelled in unison-

"The Sea Glass Carousel!" I smiled at their excitement. That was down in Battery Park. I guess it would give me a chance to go see the Bull by the NYC Stock Exchange, and the little girl standing defiant at the financial institutions and all that represented.

"Sure," I replied.

The twins were watching the carousel go around and around and they gazed transfixed. They weren't about to go anywhere anytime soon. I told them I would be back in an hour or two and we could go grab dinner at the Pig and Whistle- Mr. Fischoeder recommended it which was enough for me. I took the chance to wander the park in the fading sunlight of the afternoon. It felt a lot like home in this park. It was better than Central Park, in my opinion, because it felt a little funkier, a little weirder. Like that guy dressed as a robot busking on the street corner. So, I just walked around the park and people watched.

I wandered over to the Charging Bull a couple of blocks away. The twins would be occupied for a while longer, I figured, and I always wanted to stand next to the defiant girl. As I wandered up Broadway, I continued to watch people. Between the buildings, dark had already fallen, and the wind tunneled through with extra force. I suddenly wished I had pulled my hair back since it was whipping around my head. People walked with sweaters pulled tightly around them, leaning in towards the wind. One woman chased her scarf down the street. There was no snow anymore, but this spring had a frosty bite still. I made my way to the Bull and took an obnoxious and not-at-all lowkey selfie with it. Then I made my way over to the defiant girl and stood next to her for a solid five minutes, matching poses and staring down The Man. A few people took photos of me and I gathered a little crowd. I was a little proud of myself. Bucket list achievement unlocked baby!