New York Travel

"Mmm, this is delicious," she moaned, sipping her wine. Karen was her name, and she had been my travel agent for three months. We were still getting to know one another. And so she wanted to talk about the wine.

I threw my napkin at another table. I heard murmurs and coughing, possibly a knocked-over glass.

"Karen, I don't want to hear it! Just tell me: where can I get the deals! The deals, Karen, the deals!"

She smiled at me like only Karen could smile and swept her ear-length hair back.

"A little on edge, Mr. Pernicious?" she whispered, touching my hand and looking in my eye. She leaned over the table and my heart was pumping like a lonely sailor five months out at sea. "Isn't there anything I can do for you?"

I was beguiled of course, but I have this condition where I'm not really in control of my actions, you understand, and instead of make a warm request, I threw my water in her face. I jumped up on the table and said, "Where are the deals, Karen?"

She looked shocked. Her eyes looked like two stars startled into existence in a cold sky. From her trembling lips she issued, "New York...travel."

"Louder," I said.

"New York...travel to," she ventured.

"Louder, I said!"

"New York! Travel to New York for a vacation! Good deals!" The poor thing was terrified.

So that's how it happened. And now here I am in New York. Travel times were fine - I ended up driving. Ah, I've always considered New York and travel in general two of life's greatest pleasures.