You are currently viewing the stories for December, 2019

The Baby Jesus Miracle

by 12/22/2019
Neighborhood: Woodside

The red felt blanket hung over the kitchen doorway. It looked like Swiss cheese from all the dog bites. Somehow it kept the heat from the stove in the kitchen. I sat on the dirty linoleum floor, looked out of the frosted window and saw that it was dark.  As my last eight of spades […]

Dealers I Have Known

by 12/15/2019
Neighborhood: East Village, Lower East Side

I began using cannabis regularly in 1968, when I was about 14 years old, and since then have had innumerable encounters with dealers. The ones I will write about here are the dealers with whom I had long-term relationships. With cannabis becoming legal in so many places, there’s not much future left in the business […]

It Happened at Barneys

by 12/08/2019
Neighborhood: Upper East Side

In honor of the closing of iconic department store, Barneys, shuttering its doors, here is a tale of what happened to me there back in 2004.  *** It was right after Thanksgiving. Christmastime. The streets had a distinct holiday chill to them; they were crowded with tired, overworked shoppers carrying store bags. My boyfriend Chris […]