6th Avenue Freeze Out

The clock is ticking on my time left in New York City.

And ticking quickly.

I have spent the last few weeks searching for a way to remain on this coast, but the fact is, it’s not going to happen.

I have finally swallowed that truth.

Along with my last bites of New York pizza, pretzels, chestnuts and anything else I can eat off the street.

I was fortunate to have my family spend the Thanksgiving holiday with me in the big city as I tied up the final pieces.

They left yesterday.   

I leave shortly.

During their stay here, we did things that people do in New York on Thanksgiving.

We went to Radio City Music Hall to see the annual Christmas show with the Rockettes.

My wife and daughter woke up at 3:30 in the morning to go shopping on Black Friday.

And we got a front and center seat for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Ok, it wasn’t front and it certainly wasn’t center.

But we were there.

We met up with some good friends who had come in from LA to enjoy November in New York.

Along with the other cattle, we got up bright and early on the morning of turkey day, bundled up and went in search of the perfect vantage point.

Once we realized perfection wasn’t possible, we settled in on the corner of 39th Street and 6th Avenue.

Without going all mapquest on you, let’s just say the parade started about three miles to the north.

So by the time the action got to us, many of the “celebrities” were waved out.

But the kids didn’t seem to care.

And isn’t that was this was all about.

We somehow nestled them a spot at the front of the street so they could get an up close and personal look at all the circus clowns dressed as pedophiles.

Or was it the other way around?

Great family fun.

I’m not sure if there was a rhyme or a reason to which floats stopped where, but we seemed to be the popular resting point for the balloons.

We got some real intimate time with the Kool Aid float.

The Energizer Bunny spun in front of us for what felt like forever.

That damn thing just keeps going and going.

We also had a great view when the Buzz Lightyear float flew by.

I never realized that Buzz has a plastic bag over his head.

What a great role model for the kids.

We didn't get as much time with the big stars.

Gladys Knight, sans Pips, drove right past our street.

As did Kanye West.

And Jessica Simpson.

We did get a good look at Joan Rivers.

It’s a good thing it didn’t get any colder or her face might’ve cracked.

But all joking aside, we really had a great time.

The commentary by the people on our street was better than anything the broadcast might’ve offered.

My favorite part was definitely the people watching.

Like when the lady standing next to me, with literally hundreds of people surrounding her, lit a fresh cigarette for us all to smell.

Yummy.

Or the guy who wiggled and jiggled his way to the front of the street so he could record his own personal version of the parade.

Really?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got hundreds of unedited and unwatched hours of video of MY kids singing and dancing and playing sports.

What in the world is he going to do with a shaky version of The Food Network float?

There was just a little touch of pushing, with no shoving, but some people clearly wanted to get closer to the action than we did.

I was touched in ways that usually only happens on 9th Avenue.

I guess there was something for everyone.