Never Leave Home Without It

Inteview Day

The Chef provided me with explicit instructions to get from his house in Jersey City to Manhattan. It's simple really:

1. You hail the bus that stops in front of his house. It comes by approximately twice an hour.
2. You pay $3 in exact change
3. You get off at the Port Authority and take the A, C or E train downtown.
   

Simple.

I was dressed in my cool new york clothes, and my cool New York shoes. But I wasn't cool at all. I was nervous. It was raining. I didn't have a proper bag to put my papers in. I was a mess.

I decided I should try to borrow a bag to put the papers in. So I clomp upstairs to find a bag. I find one, but then i'm indecisive. Do I really need this? I go downstairs. I vacillate. I decided no bag. I open the door to watch for the bus when i remember: $3 in exact change. All I have is a $5! And they really don't like it when you don't have exact change. I begin to freak. I'm hoping that The Chef has a change jar.

At the top of the stairs in his closet, success! I quickly fumble through the change until I have enough. Then I dash downstairs. I look out again at the rain and make a split second decision. I'm going to take the bag.

I am halfway through transferring all of my junk from my purse to the bag when I hear the bus approaching. I cram everything in, leap out the door, lock it and run to hail the bus.

Finally. I sit down to relax during the 15 minute ride.

But I can't really relax, so i start going through the bag, making sure I have everything. Phone, check. Directions, check. Wallet. Wallet. Ohmigod. There's no wallet! I scavenge through the bag again. No wallet. I slump in my seat. What. Am. I. Going. To. Do. I am on my way to the Port Authority with no wallet, no ID, no subway pass and no money. Holy cow. The hick in the city has really done it this time.