Category Archives: Bet On Crazy

RAIN 9/10/2001 by Peter Nolan Smith

September 10, 2001 was a rainy day in New York and the Weather Channel predicted precipitation throughout the afternoon. .3 inches humid and wet. I exited from my East 10th Street apartment at 9.13 and headed toward Velseka’s on 2nd Avenue. My breakfast of a bagel and coffee came to $2.11. I gave the waiter […]

Rolling Stones – Shea – October 1989

October 1989 Joey from Bay Ridge, a client at Manny’s diamond store in West 47th Street, repaired elevators.He was as filthy as a coal miner and as greasy as an oil rigger. “Every job was an emergency.” He pulled out a wad of bills with a filthy hand. “I like getting paid in cash.” A […]

Bah Humbug Stop your Kvetching

My 2009 Xmas season consisted of a marathon work schedule at the diamond exchange. 7 days a week. 9 hours a day. No caroling or egg nog or festive cheer. I was at work to sell diamonds and jewelry to the public to support my families in Thailand. Business on 47th Street is better than […]

The Plight of a Billionairess – 2009

Back in 2008 a shoe dropped on the world economy week. The downturn was unlike anything I had seen since gas crisis of 1973. One spring weekend in 2009 I couldn’t take any more bad news and fled New York for the bucolic hills of Dutchess County. My good friend AC picked me up at […]

May Day -2014

May Day 2014 I was sitting at my desk in the Fort Greene observatory. I knew today was an important labor holiday, but I wish that I was working and traveled up to Manhattan’s Diamond District so yesterday to my old boss from the Diamond District. “I wish I could give you a job, but […]