VASHTIE

I hadn’t seen or heard from NATHAN in 7 years. He was a good friend from Albany, who (last I heard) had moved to SYRACUSE. I spent many after school hours and weekends kicking it with him and the rest of our crew…going to clubs, spending obscene amounts of time on stoops, and skating at the monument. He was such an anomaly spending hours reading books on computer programming, conversing in chat rooms, b-boying and skating.

Shortly after I moved to NEW YORK, he got a high paying gig doing something with computers…back when regular folks created programs for computers (SEE “HACKERS”). For some reason he decided he would move into my shoebox of a dorm room and crash on the floor. We’d go to the LES, play pool at MAX FISH, watch CKY videos on repeat (pre-“JACKASS”) drink coffee at ALT CAFE and then watch his back while he tagged up walls (until one time 5.0 came from nowhere and he got arrested, but even that was a great story of nice cops buying him breakfast before being dropped off at the station).

(circa 2002)

After 7 years of not hearing from him, I get a message that he’s in town and would like to hang out. I was ecstatic! We went for brunch and caught up on all that we’ve missed and where we’re all at now. So much has changed and yet not. He’s living in Chicago now and loves it. He’s the same guy…quiet with a rare and logical humor. He’s less internet oriented as he explained, “When I was doing it, not everyone had the same access which made it more fun” – It made sense. He knew nothing of my work and accomplishments which was extremely refreshing for some reason…as if none of it mattered.

He mentioned it was MAX FISH’S birthday so we strolled down. It was so strange. After hearing news that it would be closing and remembering all these wonderful memories I’d had there, it brought me back to the person who introduced me to the bar – NATHAN. And here I was with him. It was almost fateful with a twist of de ja vu that we were both walking there as if 7 years hadn’t been in between us – normal, as if a moment hadn’t passed in between him eating Ramen with me in my dorms to now…

As we sat in THE FISH and all the regulars started shuffling in, it was like being catapulted back into time. Remembering when PINK PONY (the conjoining French restaurant) was a makeshift cafe with a connecting back door to both businesses. Seeing old faces, once young and reckless – now, older, settled and holding babies. Half of the people in there once made me feel so inadequate and now, wiser, I felt equal.

*WYATT and his beautiful boy.

*ALICIA TORELLO, also from ALBANY. She said, “Vashtie you were the first person to take me here…”

and then I was sitting next to the first person who took me to THE FISH – I can’t explain how eerie it all felt.

*a high rise crushes over MAX FISH.

*BRIDGET made some delicious food.

*JOSHUA WILDMAN

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Cliche, yes — but, it really is amazing how time flies and how life changes.