freedom given, freedom taken away

My good friend Robyn is going out of town for a couple of days, and unbeknownst to me, she leaves me a gift before leaving.

Yesterday morning, around 7:30, Robyn drops off an envelope for me with my doorman.   But my doormen only half pay attention to such things.  This particular doorman, whom I like, flirts with Robyn, so he forgets to call to tell me there is an envelope waiting for me in the lobby.

The second doorman that comes on around noon doesn’t look in the book where all deliveries are noted.  His excuse to me later, “We don’t get many deliveries on Sunday so I didn’t check the book.”  I mean really, how many things does a doorman have to remember to do? 

Robyn calls around 8 last night and says, “I have two days left on my unlimited Metrocard.  I can’t use it so I left it for you.  Did you get it?”  Damn, I could have saved money today had I known.  Subway and bus fares are now $2.50 each way, so a couple of trips is an easy $10. Okay, I lost out on today, but there is still tomorrow.

I wake up this morning with a sense of freedom.  I can travel around the city all day for free.  How exciting.  I decide to go up to 116^th Street to Costco, then home.  Then I’ll go over to the Westside to see a street vendor who sells books, and where I still have a $15 credit.  And then maybe I’ll go over to Bloomingdales to see if I can spend my $350 in accumulated Loyalist coupons that will expire in a few weeks.

I take the bus up to Costco, and get off ten blocks early to walk a bit.  It is perfect weather.  Sunny in the low 70’s.  Spring has finally arrived.

I manage to escape Costco with only four items, but four heavy items:  a shrimp platter, a jar of cashews, dried apricots, and a 40-ounce bottle of Neutrogena shower gel.  I also stop at Target and buy a few items there.

I finish quickly, and walk seven blocks to the nearest bus stop, carrying exactly 17 pounds of groceries.  (I know this fact because I later weigh the groceries so I can add unembellished detail to this story). 

I get on the bus, put my card into the card-reading machine, and whoa… I see I have a balance of $2.30 on Robyn’s unlimited Metrcoard.  Unlimited cards have no balance.  NOOOOOOOOOO — she must have given me the wrong card. 

And just like that, my freedom for today is squelched.  

Unrelated Addendum:  

If you like Mrs. Meyers Cleaning supplies, buy them at Target.  For example, I paid $7.99 locally for the 16 ounce Mrs. Meyers Countertop Spray (in Lemon Verbena) which I love.  It was $2.99 at Target (and $8.50 on Amazon).