What's up, folks?

What's going on?

Welcome to episode 283 of the Smart Today podcast, The only podcast that is anchored in writing, but unlimited in scope.

I'm your host, Tony Ortiz, and I appreciate you listening.

I'm recording this intro with a very heavy heart.

It's part of the reason why I haven't even released an episode in a bit over a month.

My very good friend and spontane alumni, who's been on a few episodes of the Spontane podcast, and particularly this Podcast on the beach series that we would record and that I've mentioned a bunch as well, because he's who I would do these cycling marathons with.

My good friend Pablo Mosquera Jr.

Tragically, sadly, unexpectedly passed away on April 10, 2025.

And honestly, it's still surreal.

It doesn't feel right.

I guess deaths in general, and especially unexpected ones, probably never do, but it's really like the first time I'm going through a situation where I've lost someone this close to me.

He was literally someone I would speak to every day, every other day, Max.

The last time I saw him physically was when we did the Twin Lights ride, which I short recorded a podcast episode about.

And that was the third marathon that we did last year that was at the end of September.

Such a shitty day, raining the entire time.

We were both like miserable, but really happy that we got through it.

And then we had signed up for the five borough, which was earlier this month in May, May 4th, if I'm not mistaken.

We both signed up for it.

We planned on beginning to train for it like we normally do about a month before, or five to six weeks before.

And then due to the weather, you know, we spoke that week, we were like, weather doesn't look good.

Maybe we'll just have to like reschedule for the following week and like up our miles by that much more.

Just so we're ready.

Like we would normally like go out one weekend, do like 10 or 15 miles, then the next weekend 20 miles, and the one after that, 25 to 30 miles just to get ready for that 40 mile run that is the.

The five borough.

And that's the same weekend he wound up in the hospital and on the passing within the week.

And you know, I feel like I'm always cognizant of death.

Like I'm always worried about it, the death of a loved one or of myself and leaving things undone.

Like, I literally have this coin on my desk here I'm looking at right now.

It's a stoic coin that Ryan Holiday, the writer, sells.

One side it says in, I believe, Latin, memento mori.

And on the other side the translation is, you could leave life right now.

And had this other quote as well taped to one of my monitors, which is quote, one day you will wake up and there won't be any more time to do the things you've always wanted to do.

So do it now.

End quote.

That's by Paulo Coelho, the writer of the Alchemist and other books, obviously.

But I say that to say that it's just still shocking, you know, it still, still hurts.

So for anyone going through something similar or that will in the future, that feels that way probably just is how it feels.

It fucking sucks.

And eventually just have to put one foot in front of the other.

Live your life as the person that passed surely would want you to honor them, think about them, speak about them, share their stories where you can.

And that's kind of what I intend to do with the re release of this episode here.

So Pablo and I used to do this thing.

We did it, I want to say, four, five, six times.

Where each year in the summer, we would take an Idol day out of the week off, like a random Tuesday or Wednesday and take a day off from work and just go to the beach, Coney island specifically.

And I forget why we landed on Coney island, why we even chose that.

You know, it's not like a great beach or anything like that, but it's just something that became somewhat of a tradition.

And during one of those days I had the idea of, oh, let's just record a podcast while we're at the beach.

Just like two friends shooting the shit, talking about life.

And that's what this episode is.

And we've recorded another one like a year or two later.

This one specifically was first released in September or on September 6, 2018.

And then either the year after or two years after that, we wound up recording another one, which I plan to also re release, but probably more near tour around his birthday, which is July 11th.

But if you go in the archives of the podcast, that you could probably listen to that episode as well.

And I'll leave the original intro of the episode in as I was listening back to, gives a good breakdown of like the origin of how we came up with the idea to do this.

And I've been honestly procrastinating to even put this out just because I knew I had to re listen to the episode and I thought it would be harder than it was.

And it was Hard.

But I smiled a lot.

I laughed a lot.

It felt good hearing my friend, you know, because I've found myself since he passed just like going to text him or, or going to forward him an Instagram post that we would do on a daily basis, just like send each other shit and laugh and joke around and argue politics.

And then you got to come to terms with the fact all over again that he's not there.

That is the part that really hurts.

But then I think of the good times again.

Puts a smile on my face.

I think about the catchphrases that would.

We would have the, you know, those inter friendship dynamics that you have with, with friends.

Where is a word or a phrase or a thing that one only you two do, or not necessarily only YouTube but that you guys do.

That's like an inside joke type of thing, you know, like we would always say to each other when the other one is doing something that might.

It was funnier when it wasn't something out of the ordinary.

But if the person would say, oh, I went to dinner yesterday to, you know, XYZ restaurant or whatever, or oh yeah, I'm going on vacation to like South Carolina, like something that's not crazy, the other one would just say, must be nice.

And in bike riding, for some reason we started fist bumping, like when we would see each other from far away.

And then that became like a fist bumping via text and saying the person's name like Pablo, you know, like cheering the person on, like that became a thing.

He would say the quirkiest things, like, you know what really chaps my ass when he was like mad about something or oh, you over there palm pressing and chin wagging with the big wigs, huh?

And like all those things just start like flooding back when I'm like, that's the type of, that makes me smile.

And we, we spoke about family in this episode.

We spoke about traveling.

I always admired the fact that he, he was like really well traveled, went to a bunch of different places he spoke about in this episode.

A few of them, like going to Milan, going to Zurich, went to the Galapagos in Ecuador and a few other spots and tells a few like traveling stories.

So that was cool to hear and listen to.

It was always something that I admired and was happy for him that he got to experience in life.

We also spoke about like first jobs that we had when we were younger.

And I have to double check the date on a short story that I wrote called Pencil Case.

It's in my, on my website sponsored.com short stories it's in my.

My book Melted Cold.

It's one of the short stories in that collection.

But I mention what wound up being the origin story for that story, which is based on a true story.

I mentioned that in this episode of how I used to like, pack bags as a kid and I saved up enough money to buy this really cool pencil case that I loved.

And I actually mentioned that in this episode.

So I wonder which came first, if I wrote the story first or if having this conversation and in this episode, like, planted the seed to make me write that story later on something else interesting that happened in just going through like the grieving process is, at least for me, probably for most, most folks.

I've gone through different phases in my life of, you know, what happens after death and, you know, different thoughts and is there an afterlife?

Is there heaven?

Is there a hell?

Is there, you know, what's next?

Nobody knows, right?

But you believe what you believe and nobody can know.

But in an interesting way, I did have kind of like this reassurance that there is something which felt comforting in a way.

And I first got the feeling, I don't know if it was coincidence or what, but I have this, this belong, like this candle lit up for him here at home.

And I'd look over at it every once in a while and, you know, I'm thinking about him and it just starts like, flickering crazy.

Like there was this one moment where it was just like shining like super bright, flickering.

And it just gave me like this feeling of, you know, he's there, he's somewhere, he's there is something.

And if that's the case, if that's accurate, I hope that he's watching and happy with the run that his Knicks are on, because he would be over the moon with them being in the Eastern Conference finals.

And I hope that from his vantage point of where he's at now that it's still a significant and enjoyable thing to experience.

And we both.

Before we jump into the original recording, folks, I just wanted to say check in on your friends, checking on your loved ones, even the ones that you may feel don't need it as much that seem fine.

It might need you more than you know.

And for any mutual friends or loved ones of Pablo that may come across this episode, I hope that hearing him and some of his story on this random day in the summer of 2018 brings you some solace, as it did to me.

Without further ado, here is the original intro to the episode first, which is about Five minutes.

If you guys want to skip over that.

Up to you.

And then we jump right into the conversation with Pablo thereafter.

Rest in peace, pops.

I love you and you are absolutely missed.

What up?

What up, folks?

What's going on?

Welcome to episode 107 of the Spun Today podcast.

I actually grew up on 107th Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York.

Episode 107 of the Spun Today podcast.

I'm your host, Tony Ortiz.

Thank you very much for listening.

This is a special episode in which I am accompanied by a buddy of mine, Pablo.

Pablo is a good friend of mine.

I've known him for, I want to say somewhere around a decade, maybe a little less, a little bit more like in the 8 to 12 year range or something like that.

And I most likely spoken about him in the past, or at least mentioned him in the past when speaking about the bike tours that I've done, like the Hudson Valley Cycling Tour or the Five Borough Cycling Tour.

He's the friend that I normally do that with, or rather each time that I've done it has been with him.

I definitely fell off from cycling this year, though.

But I will redeem myself and you can hold me to that, Pablo, if you're listening.

And my word is a strong oke and not like Cushman Oak, real oak.

Anyway, there's this, the sort of tradition that we started, I want to say, four, maybe five years ago, where we would play hooky from work, take like a, like an idle Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday off in the middle of the week during the summer and go to Coney island beach and make a beach day out of it.

You know, take some, take some beer and liquor and just chill on the beach all day.

And then get Nathan's for lunch in the original Nathan's there in Coney island.

And that's where they have the famous hot dog eating contest every 4th of July, which Pablo mentioned to me while we were there.

And I.

I feel like I knew that, but didn't really, like puts and two together type of thing.

But yeah, it's a pretty, pretty dope spot.

Pretty iconic spot.

It's like the Broke Man's Six Flags.

You know, Coney island is, you know, with the like, as far as like the theme park and stuff like that.

The beach isn't the best, but it's definitely not the worst as far as like, New York is concerned.

New York beaches, in my opinion, it's definitely a dope time.

You know, anytime you get some R R, it's a dope time.

But anyway, this Year we did not.

We left it to the last minute, and we didn't take a specific, you know, day out of the week off, which we like to do because the beaches are less crowded, you know, it's not as packed, and you pretty much, like, have it to yourselves, like, type of thing, you know, and it's like on a day where you would otherwise, you know, be in front of a computer screen at work going through the motions and shit.

So it's like a double positive.

It feels like you're getting away with something when you do it that way, which I definitely plan to next year when we go again.

Definitely I do it that way.

But this year, since we left the last minute, we wound up just going on Monday, which was Labor Day.

So.

But to combat the whole, you know, everybody goes to the beach on Labor Day type of thing, last, you know, official, unofficial day of the summer.

Sorry about that.

Last, unofficial, official day of the summer or whatever it is, we decided to go early.

So we were there at the beach already, like at

9:45, 10:00 clock, like, already, like, chilling, sitting down, drinking our first beers type of thing.

And it was pretty dope.

And we were there till,

I would say, on the beach, 1:32 o' clock.

Got lunch there at Nathan's after we packed everything up.

And it was.

It was a dope time.

So this is just us chilling pretty much on our way to the beach.

And the audio for that portion doesn't sound too great because we're in the car, so you hear kind of like the road a little bit and like the ac.

So bear with us for, like, the first portion of the podcast.

But, you know, once we get to the beach and, you know, I.

I took the mics out, the mics with me, and the quality should sound pretty dope there.

You have a little bit of background background noise, but, you know, nothing major.

It's pretty much just us chilling, catching up, shooting the shit.

And that's pretty much it.

So if you want to come along with us on a beach day in New York, stay tuned.

So what do you think the odds are of us finding parking?

I don't know.

I think you're right.

I think it might be too late.

But there's no traffic right now, so that's.

That's a good sign.

That's a good sign.

You know what I was thinking about?

Was it the first year we did this?

Was it the same year as the Luna park fiasco?

Or was that.

Was that the Luna park we look like?

I think we would have noticed it was whack.

If we would have gotten here before, we would have been like, nah, it was kind of like a.

Like, it's kind of like.

Like, it was like our first time Coney Island.

You were like, let's get tickets ahead of time or whatever.

Yeah.

Did we buy tickets ahead of time?

But I think, yeah, we did.

We bought, like a whole fun day pass type shit.

That's why.

Because, yeah, now it makes sense.

But I think we went to the beach once, and then the next year after that, we're like, oh, you know, this was dope.

Let's do it again next year.

And then I came up with the brilliant idea of the o' Coney Island Luna Park.

Kitty Park.

Yeah.

You know what?

I still.

That was 2013.

I remember.

Really?

Yeah.

Because I was thinking, like, Carolyn from la.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Carolyn girl from la.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's how I remember.

I.

I still have the.

The side note.

I have the.

Remember the Minion thing.

We played a game or some.

Yeah.

And we won the Minions.

And I have it.

And I have it in Aiden's room.

Like.

Like little teddy bears and shit.

Nice.

So that was my takeaway from the day.

But, yeah, she was.

So.

It was.

Yeah, that time we parked at the time that we kept feeding the meter because we parked like.

It was like.

Exactly.

It was during the week.

We both had off from work, but the meters were running, so we had to go back every hour, two hours to feed the meter.

Yeah, that time.

It's been a couple times we did that.

I think, like two or three times.

When we came with Steve, we had a parking lot.

Yeah, we went to the parking lot.

Yeah.

And I think one other time we went to the parking lot, too, which we should do today, unless we find a spot, because there's no meters and.

Yeah, we're gonna have to.

Yeah, right.

Today there's no meters.

There shouldn't be any Met Coney Island.

That hot dog stand's gonna be full as.

Yeah, I forgot how this whole, like, tradition thing, I think, came up because of you.

I think it was that I said I never had Nathan's before.

Like, I don't know we're talking about, like, the original Nathan's or some.

You said, let's make a beach day out of it.

Okay.

I think something like that.

And it was just dope the first time around, like, playing hooky from work and.

Yeah, they.

They made it much n.

They put a lot of work into it.

It used to be, like a shithole yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, I thought you meant like Nathan's.

Nah, it was kind of hectic this weekend.

What did I do?

My sister in law's birthday was on Friday.

We actually went to Cahoba to Steven's restaurant.

How is it over there now?

It's cool.

I haven't been there in months or years, but it's like he still, like.

That's what I asked him to like, before I went because, you know, I don't like, like all the clubbing and like lounge or whatever.

But he still has it as like a regular restaurant until he told me until like 11,

11:30.

But it was like, it was more like

10, 10:30.

Like the DJ sets up and then it just turns into like a full fledged lounge type, which is cool if that's what, you know, if you're into whatever.

Like there was already people there, like anticipating that.

I follow.

I follow them on Instagram.

Yeah.

And always posting pictures.

Looks like a full fledged club in there.

Yeah.

It's always packed.

They do like day parties on the weekends too, I think.

Yeah.

Like in the back, he has like, bands and it's pretty cool.

But we went.

The food was.

The food was awesome.

He has.

I think he like, recently switched up the chef to like a chef that came from like a famous restaurant.

Like, I.

Not.

I don't know if it's famous or.

But he said it was like a really good restaurant.

Mama Sushi.

Okay.

Or something like that.

And he's in.

He's the head chef of GA now.

The food is banging.

It was really good.

Nice.

It looks good.

It was his pictures of the food.

Of it.

Yeah.

That skirt stick chimichurri sauce was amazing.

Yeah.

I had.

That's why I had skirt steak.

It's good.

Yeah, it was really good.

And I tried.

What else did I try?

Like somebody else had the.

The mofongo, like the shrimp mofongo, which is really good.

And I know he does like brunches and stuff, like popular.

And like the bands play during the day, like on Sundays or what did that.

Friday, Saturday.

Didn't do much at a doctor's appointment.

Ran errands.

Nice.

Did I tell you I'm going out Giants king next Sunday?

Yeah, you did.

Week one.

Nice.

What do you think of that sick one?

Is he really gonna be.

The truth.

Is he really gonna be the next.

Supposed to be a beast.

What do they say?

The next.

I don't know.

Barry Sanders.

Yeah.

See the.

It kind of needs to be for them.

Yeah.

I don't know if he like still got it.

And he's already like.

Like a media darling or whatever.

Nike sponsorship.

It's like on the news.

And didn't he sign with the Rock?

Did he?

I think so.

I think he's Roc.

Shut up.

You know.

What was my first thought?

Dwayne Johnson for Fathers, the Rock.

I was like, wait, what?

I hope it's got a.

He's got a.

You know, he's got his own agency.

Yeah.

Like the sports thing or whatever.

Also like Kano was in it or is in it.

Yeah.

So it's like basement.

It's a lot of people.

Nice.

His clientele's growing.

It's fucking sick.

He like branched out into like just a full fledged mobile.

He had to sell his stake in the Nets to do it.

Yeah, yeah, I remember that.

That's sick.

That's pretty sick.

What you.

Oh, what you think of 444?

Really?

It was good, but it wasn't like.

Yeah, I liked it so much.

That was.

It wasn't my favorite.

One of my favorites.

It was my second favorite next to.

I swear to God.

Next to the Blueprint.

Blueprint's my first.

No, the Black album's better than 444.

I don't think so.

I would have to go back and relist them.

But my favorite are obviously the Blueprint, the Black Album, Reasonable Doubt.

True.

I've been hearing good things about M M's album.

It's sick.

I have it if you want to hear it.

Yeah, it's you with Eminem.

Like, I'm completely biased.

Like the last album, you know, I.

Think I heard the last.

Got so dogged.

Yeah.

It was like under the radar.

But.

And it was like highly.

It was a.

It was a bad combination.

Sick.

Damn.

Sorry, what are you saying?

No, no.

It was a combination of being highly anticipated and like overhyped and then like kind of like flopping.

Well, quote unquote, flopping.

Cuz he still goes platinum.

You know, Eminem could put a blank CD in there to go platinum.

I heard that like is this album.

I think it was this album.

He was saying that he regrets criticizing Trump.

Coming out with that.

That song.

Bashing Trump.

Yeah, but he said that in the context of.

Because that was one of the biggest criticisms that.

That he got saying that, you know, he's on his.

What is it?

Social justice warrior shit.

And nobody likes woke Eminem and they're calling him Marshall Marshall.

Thurgood Mathers or Thurgood Marshall or something like.

And.

But then like some people are saying that they like when artists use their white privilege, quote unquote, to like, combat racism and injustice.

And that's like Jamel Hill, even though she's not white.

Jamel Hill, like, they were called Casino in shaping her and the other guy, Michael Smith, they moved from, like, they had their own little ESPN thing.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

They moved to Sports center, which is like ESPN's like, you know, number one show.

It's like the main news.

It's like, like the 8 o' clock evening news, you know.

Yeah.

But like, you know how she's very political and, you know, she's like a social justice warrior too.

7, 8.

So people kept call instead of Sports center, woke Center.

And it's like a lot of people get, like, I don't know, like, sick of that or whatever.

Right.

Yeah.

Because, I mean, you tune in something, especially a show like Sports Center, I mean.

Yeah.

Kind of want to tune in just for sports, get the updates, get the highlights.

What I miss, who won, who lost.

Not like.

Like, politics is bleaching, like, too much into, like, everything else.

It worked perfectly on her other show because that show was not really just like, about the news.

It was more like a variety type.

It was more like opinion is really not about opinion.

Just give me.

Give me the.

Give me what's going on in sports.

Give me.

Yeah, give me the results.

Who won, who lost.

Give me the highlights.

Yeah, but ye.

That was one of.

One of his biggest criticisms.

And then the second biggest criticism that I kind of agree with, but I didn't think it was bad.

But again, I'm biased.

Everybody take this with a grain of salt, is that he had a lot of pop features.

He had.

His main single was Beyonce.

He had Pink on there.

He had Ed Sheeran on there.

So he had like a lot of, like, poppy songs.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

And then people that combated that criticism were like, yeah, but Eminem is.

Is a pop star.

He's the most popular rapper ever.

He just to be one of the most.

The illest lyricist as well.

You know what I mean?

So you can't, like, pop song.

Yeah, but this.

But this album was like a little heavy, heavier on the pop side.

Okay.

And it definitely wasn't his.

His best work, I'll say that.

But I liked it.

Like, I liked a bunch of songs on the album, but this one, he went back to my favorite version of Eminem, which is like.

Like Marshall Mathers LP1 and 2 was kind of like that and like the Eminem show, like, more angry slash Cocky Eminem.

Like, I'm the others at this shit.

Nobody else could fuck with me.

Like, he went back towards that direction with this album, and he didn't hype it.

He dropped it.

Nobody even knew he was coming out with an album.

He even, like, put it out as.

As you know, I decided not to overthink this one.

That was his like, like, quote.

Like, when he released the album or whatever.

He put it out and it was.

And it also goes back to what, like, I really like in hip hop, which is like the, you know, like the whole battling scene or whatever.

Yep.

And, you know, as long as it stays hip hop, it's like that's the root of hip hop.

That's like the other shit.

Like, I watch a lot of, like, I don't want to go, like, I don't like high level, but, like, battle rap.

Like, there's a certain segment of battle rap that they even do, like, pay per views for.

And it's like, like, UFC fights.

Yeah.

And they're.

And like, their.

Their qual, like, distribution and like, just the aesthetics of it is, like, on like, next level.

It's not like, grainy little VCR videos anymore.

Like, it's like, really good, like, really produced, like, really well.

And it's like they have, like, a lot of, like, popular dudes in battle rap.

So I watched a lot of that.

But anyway, in this album, Eminem goes.

He mentioned Charlemagne because Charlemagne was, like, a big critic of.

Of the last album.

He.

He goes at Drake.

Ma Gun Kelly.

He goes at Charlemagne.

Yeah.

And.

And Charlamagne even said it.

Like, he was like.

I mean, I'm completely reading the stuff with this album.

And, you know, even though he, like, criticized me, you know, I'm not gonna go back on what I said.

The last album was whack, but this one is completely dope.

What else did he go at?

Joe Button.

He went at Machine Gun Kelly, Drake.

A few people.

I forgot.

Who else?

Like, three or four other people, which is dope.

It's like going back to, like, the essence of, like, battle rap.

And Charlie even said it.

Like, somebody asked him, like, do you think any of them are gonna respond to him?

They're like, nobody wants to win.

Nobody's gonna respond.

Yeah, yeah.

What's suicide?

Career suicide type.

He's like, the only one that might do it.

But he said, like, he retired and he's on his more like, media type thing is Joe.

But.

Which would be interesting.

But.

But aside from that.

Yeah, I like the album.

Drake should respond.

That'd be interesting.

Yeah, but if he didn't do it with.

He didn't respond back to.

To push it to you.

He's not gonna go at him, I think.

And it was a.

It was a dope, like, one liner.

The M said he goes to Drake.

You know how Drake's like thing or album whatever is like views from the six, right?

Eminem said, yeah, you got views, but my views are higher.

So when we talk, you get overlooked or some like that.

Pretty sick, yo.

We are arriving near Coney island.

Driving by the PJs right now with the windows up, doors locked, looking for parking.

You know what's dope?

I actually saw on.

Have you been to the aquarium?

I never have.

We always said every time we come, we say we're going to go.

I went once, like years ago.

It was like, though.

Nice.

Must be nice.

Yeah.

Driving by the Cyclone right now.

The world's oldest roller coaster.

The world's oldest roller coaster.

I was about to say.

I thought it was like New York's oldest.

But is it the world?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's the country.

Nice freaking made of wood.

You could pay me enough money to go on that.

We got whiplash.

I think we.

We did go on it, right?

We did.

We did go on it.

Wow.

It must have been high.

Or both.

I would never do that.

Oh, man.

Is that a spot?

No parking time.

That way.

I got a mini hoop.

I think I might be able to fit.

It is a spot.

If you fit before, like this green thing.

It is, right?

Yeah.

And where's Nathan's?

You think we're close enough?

It's probably two blocks, three blocks.

Maybe.

We're close enough, right?

Bring the stuff back to the car and then go there, you know?

Yeah.

Let me see something.

What?

The parking.

I'm gonna see where?

Nathan's.

Well, it's on the street.

Can't be that far.

Can we just park here?

It's not as far as that big ass building over there.

It's before then.

And that building is not far.

Sweet.

This is a spot, right?

Yeah.

Should we.

Should we get a greeting, see if there's anything up there?

Or would you just take the spot?

I say just take this one.

Yeah, right.

Let's not be greedy.

Look at all those cars.

Double parked and ship.

All right, folks, we're gonna hit the beach, get some vitamin D, bro.

We lucked out.

Take some shots of Shivas, drink some October Fest Sam Adams, which must be from last year, since we're not at October yet.

Must have been brewed last year, I guess.

And get some.

Nathan's at the World's.

Is that the world's first?

Nathan's the country.

The original.

Let's do this, then come back and record some more.

Peace.

Hello?

Hello, Pablo.

Is this thing on?

This thing is on.

This is a continuation Spontaneous podcast on the beach.

Pablo and I are about two Oktoberfests in on our third and two shots of Chivas in Shivas.

Feeling chill on Coney island right now in Brooklyn.

Looking at the beach, chillaxing and just shooting the.

Yep, the Cyclone is not a safe roller coaster.

We heard the.

The Cyclone behind us.

I thought like, there was a, like a trash can, like what's it called?

The sanitation department was like rolling out like a big fucking bin behind us.

That's what it sounded like.

And we turned around and it was.

It was the Cyclone just like making its regular run rounds.

Maybe 20 rounds are around wooden tracks.

There it is right there.

I wonder if it really does sound like like a recycling.

It sounds like a recycling machine.

It does.

Like a stop and shop.

Like, you know when like you see like those like, there's like weirdos like.

Like changing the plastic bottles, you know.

Plastic bags bigger than them with like bottles in it.

Yeah, it's like rumbling.

It's not.

I used to do that.

Was a little kid.

I think everybody did that when they were little, right?

I don't know, maybe they didn't.

I did.

I collect those like those bottles and you'd get a couple dollars from it, you know.

But when you're young, like, that's what did you need money for.

You just part of the game.

You would get like a, like one of like a quarter water and a quarter chips.

And you.

You know what I did, I didn't do that like going around, but I did that while I used to when I was younger, like, pack bags at the supermarket and then bottles that I used to.

To like drink and like, stuff and like cans and stuff that I used to drink, like while I was there packing bags.

I would change that in the machine for like 25 cents or whatever, you know, end of day type of thing.

But yeah, that was actually my first.

I think my first like paid gig was at like packing bags in the supermarket.

My pops used to work at a supermarket.

Speaking about packing bags, did you hear about the dude from.

From the Cosby show that they saw him pack?

He like.

He packs bags, not a supermarket.

Cool.

The guy from the Cosby Show.

Which one?

There's like a few Guys, there's a rapist.

There's Jamal, I think.

Jamal, the brother.

The older brother?

No, Theo.

Yeah, Theo.

Hell no.

I don't believe that.

He's in.

He's in a show now.

He's in.

Well, it was a big thing, Mr.

Robot.

There was a big thing where, like, they.

They saw him.

They spotted him packing bags at a supermarket.

Like, his own bags when he went.

Grocery shopping type, or, like, packing bags.

I don't buy that at all.

Look it up.

I'm selling.

Like, it was, like, a big thing.

And like.

Like the bigger thing was the outcry.

Like, everybody was like.

Like shaming him for it.

Like now.

Like, you know, you can't do that now.

Everybody was saying, no, it's an honorable job.

Like, you know, it shouldn't be about a fall from grace.

It should be about, like, you know, just perseverance and get the out.

Working hard.

I have to look that up.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was.

Yeah, I'm like, almost.

I'm like 90.

Sure.

That's who it was.

I would understand if it was like the.

Like the.

The kid from the Cosby show that used to be, like, in love with Rudy Stanley, I think his name was, that she used to call Bud all the time, that he was like, oh, my brother said that women shouldn't be treated equally as men because men are superior.

Like that type of.

Imagine he said that now he was beyond this time.

He'd be crucified on the spot.

No, but I thought, like, I would say that just because I haven't, like, seen him, like, in anything else, like, since then, but, like, Theo from the Cosby show, the brother, like, he was literally in one of my current favorite shows, which is Mr.

Robot.

Like, he's a reoccurring actor in that.

Which whatever SAG pays for, like, minimum acting roles has to be way more than what you make packing bags.

I'm trying to look for.

That's insane.

Yeah.

Geoffrey Owens.

Is that.

Is that Theo?

No, no, no.

He's Malcolm Jamal Warner.

Malcolm Malcolm Jamal Warner or Malcolm Jamal Warner?

The former Cosby show star was not by shopper working behind the counter.

Let me see.

Let me see.

Over Trader Joe's in New Jersey.

Let me see.

Who his pictures.

He played Elvin Tibo, Alvin T.

Oh.

The young doctor who married into the Cosby family.

Yeah, he was.

He was one of the.

The sisters of the Cosby Show.

Like the Cosby family.

He.

The Huxable.

He was one of the sister's husbands.

Oh, I Remember him?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That.

I could see more, too, because I'd never seen him.

But Theo, like, it couldn't be.

Okay.

He's in, you know.

Yeah.

Well, that dude, he got spotted.

He's.

He packs bags at a Trader Joe's in Jersey.

Damn.

That's sick.

Yeah.

Wow.

Would you go to that Trader Joe's just to see him, like, if you were a fan of the show?

I thought it was Theo.

What do I know?

Oh, man.

You know who I saw?

It was like, a similar story about was Boy Meets World.

Remember the show Boy Meets World?

I've heard of it.

I never saw it.

You serious?

Never saw it.

Where the.

Were you around TGIF times, actually, like, chilling with girls and.

Or like, you weren't watching TV like the rest of us.

I was trying.

There was a character.

Oh, my God.

That was like.

That's.

It was cold, right?

Yeah.

Thank God.

It's the Friday night lineup.

Yeah.

It's coming back actually on abc.

Was that Channel seven?

Yep.

Me and my wife were really excited about it because we saw a commercial for it saying TJF will return or whatever.

And it's, like, something that was, like, popular, like, in our childhood.

I had, like, Family Matters and, like, Step by Step and Boy Meets World and, like, a bunch of, like, different, like, shows or whatever.

Like, the main prime time shows were, like.

They wanted to be tjf, you know, in that, like, lineup.

Okay.

And it's coming back, like, next month or some.

But anyway, there was a character on Boy Meets World, which was a show that was on cjf, and he was a bartender in the city here in New York.

Really?

Yeah.

Good for him.

They make good money.

Yeah.

Hell, yeah.

I used to bartender when I was younger.

Really?

I used to love that.

Hell, yeah.

I used to bartending.

White tables.

Look at us.

Like, what are they doing?

How was it?

You like bartending?

I did, actually, because it was.

It was at a time in my life when I had, like, ero bill, ero worries, ero anything.

I was.

Yeah, but you make good money doing.

That, and you make good money, you know?

I mean, like, it wasn't like.

It was like, I was a junior.

I was 16 when I started.

I didn't work in Manhattan, but still made, like, those off.

But Manhattan was always like, the people who work Manhattan make, like, a shitload of money.

Where would you bartender?

In Jamaica, Queens, and in Mineola, Long Island.

I worked in two places.

Portuguese.

Yeah, the Portuguese restaurants.

That's where I picked up little.

My Portuguese speak.

I dated a Portuguese girl from Mineola?

Yeah.

Did I tell you a story about her?

No.

This is, like.

This is this past summer, beginning of the summer.

So the girl went down.

We only dated a couple of months, but, like, at the beginning of the summer, I was hooking up with this Portuguese girl that I met online at one of the sites I think was Tinder.

Nice swipe, right?

Yeah, I swiped right.

She turned out to be a nutshell chop.

She's nuts, dude.

So.

So what you call it?

So we were dating.

We dated for, like, a month and a half.

Not even that long.

So, like, I don't feel bad.

Like, yo, I kept it real.

After a month and a half, I was like, listen, I don't see this going anywhere, you know?

So I was upfront with her.

I could have been a dig and, like, prolonged it for the whole summer and been like, whatever.

And then they dropped her.

But I was like, no.

I was like, it's not nice.

I was like, listen, I'm not feeling this.

It's not going anywhere.

She couldn't.

She flipped out.

She didn't.

Like, she was just weird.

Like, she was very aggressive, and she's like, what do you mean, this and that?

And she kept, like, texting me and all this stuff.

She was like one of those girls, like, demands an explanation, like, for everything.

And it's like, sometimes, like, there's no explanation.

Just, like.

It's just not just.

It just is, you know?

I get it.

And listen, I've been dumb, too, so I get it, you know?

So I'm, you know, I'm not trying to be here on a high horse.

Like, when girls, like, said to me, I'm not feeling.

I was like, all right, I get it.

She's just not feeling it, you know?

Like, I'm not gonna sit there like, but why?

Whatever the explanation is, like, it's not gonna help you.

Yeah, exactly.

It's not gonna help the relationship.

Yeah.

Sometimes there's no answer.

It's not like.

It's not like a math equation, right?

Where there's, like, a final answer, you know?

Yeah.

So anyway, she couldn't understand it, and she was just like, but why?

But why?

I was like, there is no why.

You asking the wrong question.

It just is what it is, you know?

I'm just not feeling it, you know?

I wish I was, but I'm not, you know?

And then.

So we stopped talking for, like, a month, right?

And then.

This is my part.

My bad.

I don't know this one.

So, like, a month later, like, it was June 9th.

I remember that because it was the Belmont Stakes, the last leg of the Triple Cross Crown.

Horse racing.

Gotcha.

So there's the Kentucky Derby, there's the Preakness Stakes, and then there's the Belmont Stakes.

Isn't it only called a Triple Crown, like, when somebody wins, like, all three races or some.

Well, all three, yeah.

Well, it's true, but it's still part of the Triple Crown, so, like, it's called the last.

Like, even if someone.

No one wins it, it's called the last leg.

Still an event called Triple Crown.

Even if no one.

All three of them are part of the Triple Crown, you know?

Gotcha.

Okay.

You know, if you win the first two, the Triple Crown is.

Is alive and well.

It's open.

Right.

But, like, if it's.

If the horse doesn't win the first two, then there really is no Triple Crowns to be had.

So the events themselves are called Triple Crowns.

They're called part of the Triple Crown.

Yeah.

And if somebody wins the first, then.

You'Re a Triple Crown champion.

All three events, then they're the Triple Crown champion.

Gotcha.

Okay.

So it was the last leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, and it was up for grabs because the horse won the first two.

So we were live.

Nice.

Okay.

Right.

And he ended up winning the Triple Crown.

But that's not.

That's not the point of the story.

Nice.

She was.

She was at the Triple Crown with her friends, so she was, like, day drinking all day.

I was out with my friends.

I don't know where I was, but I was day drinking, too, so I don't know.

I up.

I texted her, which I shouldn't have, but.

Drunk text.

Yeah, drunk text.

Yeah.

I was day drinking all day, and then she was at the Belmont.

She's like, I'm at the Belmont.

I've been drinking all day.

I was like.

We just stopped texting.

I was like, why don't you come over?

And blah, blah, blah.

One thing led to another, she comes over, you know, we hook up.

And then.

Which made it worse because the next day, she was just, like.

She thought, like, we were back together, you know?

Like, you know, we worked back up.

Yeah, exactly.

Which is.

I get it.

It's like all the negative before, like, your races and.

Yeah.

That is your bad.

Oh, it's total my bad.

I'm not running from that.

That was my bad.

Like, going in.

You have to, like, expect that.

Yeah, exactly.

Anticipate, like, that blow.

Yeah.

Yep.

I threw it all in for the.

One night yeah, can't blame you for it either, you know?

So then we hung out, like, one other time after that, right?

We went to dinner, and then I was like, oh, man, this sucks.

Like, nothing's changed.

I know.

This is not gonna be a long term thing, you know?

Yeah.

Then I end up meeting my girl, and so we're like.

We're hanging out 4th of July weekend with my girl, right?

We're up in Connecticut at her place on her rooftop.

She lives in like.

Like, Like.

Well, you know those new construction buildings that have, like, rooftops with, like, you know, with, like, you know, like, lounges, like TVs, like, you know, barbecues, like, you know, I don't know.

But that sounds awesome.

If you don't know now you know, right?

So, yeah, like, rooftop now.

Like, if you like new construction buildings, like, have, like, sick rooftops, you know?

Is that in New York?

In Connecticut.

Connecticut.

Okay.

So we're hanging up there, right?

And we take a picture.

It was fourth of July, right?

So we, like, we take a selfie.

Just mean.

We were like, you know, we were drinking.

We're just having fun, you know, just bullshitting.

Like, let's take a self.

We take a selfie.

Like an idiot.

I post on Instagram, but I thought I had blocked the.

The crazy Portuguese girl.

I thought I blocked her, right?

She has to be Portuguese.

But she only cool because that's how the whole story started.

Because you said Mineola can't full circle, so I only blocked my.

My.

You know what?

You know how the Instagram now has, like, the timeline.

Not the timeline, the stories.

Yeah, yeah.

So the stories and their posts.

So when I blocked her, I only blocked the story, not the posts.

Ah, so she could still see, like, all your other shit.

Yeah, so she saw the post.

So I posted the picture on Instagram.

It's not even like that, like, crazy.

It's like her kissing me in the cheeks.

So, like, honestly, you could be like, oh, that's your friend.

You're just messing around.

You know, it's not like.

I mean, it's.

It's kind of borderline, like, all right, that you're hooking up with that girl.

But that's not even the point.

She sees it.

She starts texting me the whole night like a maniac.

Damn.

She was like, oh, well, that wasn't.

That wasn't.

That wasn't long.

You found someone else real quick.

Blah, blah, blah.

Like, going off, calling me, texting was like, oh, my God.

And

then this is the kicker, 11:45 at that night.

This was like at

7:00, 8:00 clock, when I put posted it 11:49, she texts me.

She's like, well, I hope you and Ruth.

That's her.

She knew her name.

She hoping you, Ruth, have a great time together.

She went in, she went digging into social medias.

But how the does she know her name?

Right?

I'm like, this is crazy.

I'm like, how did you know her name?

She was like, oh, it just so happens to know that I'm hanging out tonight with my friends from Long island because.

So Ruth is from.

She's originally from Long island, but lives in Connecticut now.

Right.

She grew up in Long Island.

Oh, actually she grew up in Flushing, Queens.

But that's a different story for a different day.

That she, for a future episode of.

The Spotlight podcast, went to the same grammar school, actually.

Oh, but then she like, did you.

Know her back then?

No.

She went to high school in Long island and moved to Connecticut.

That's nice.

So I know this story's taking forever.

But take your time unlimited.

So the beauty of podcast world.

Yep.

So then she's like texting me like crazy, like, oh, I just happened to be in Long Island.

Hang on to my friends from Long island, and they recognized her in the picture you posted.

Posted, you know, this and that.

She's like, oh, I'm gonna, I'm gonna reach out to her and tell her that, like, me and you are together, all this.

I'm like, yo, you're nuts.

I'm like, we're not together.

We haven't hooked up in weeks.

Like, thank God.

Thank God.

I didn't hook up with her a while.

I didn't.

I never hooked up with her while I was with Ruth, you know, so it was like she had nothing.

I knew she had nothing on me.

Right.

So the next morning, me and Ruth go to brunch.

I'm like, I gotta tell because this girl keeps blowing up my phone.

I was like, this girl's not.

She's gonna do something crazy.

It's like, let me, let me tell her.

Let me get her front of this.

Tell her.

Right.

That's true.

Just want you to know, if I posted a picture of us last night, this girl is nuts.

She knows you.

Apparently she knows you're some of your friends, so she knows who you are.

She's going to reach out to you.

I have a feeling she's going to reach out to you.

Like 15, 20 minutes later, while we're at brunch, her phone blows up.

It's Her.

It's the Portuguese girls hitting her up on Facebook Messenger.

How did.

How did she react?

Your girl react, like, when you told her that.

That she was going to.

Like, when you told her about it?

Pretty much.

Put it this way.

Thank God I told her ahead of time.

You know, women are.

Women just don't want to be blind.

Blindsided.

Yeah.

Tell them ahead of time.

No matter how bad it is, they.

Don'T want to be, like, embarrassed.

It's a lot worse if they get blindsided.

Yeah.

You know what I'm saying?

So she was fine with it.

She was like.

She was like, oh, my God.

She was like.

She just texted me asking me how long we've been dating, that me and Pablo just, you know, broke up, and she wants closure, this and that.

It was nuts.

Dude.

That's nice.

It was insane.

And then she just, like.

She was like, what do you want me to write back?

I was like.

I was, like, pissed off.

She was like, I'm just gonna write back saying, hey, we're just friends.

We just linked up again after 15 years of not seeing each other.

Which is true.

It's a crazy story how me and her got together.

I'll tell you about that later.

She was pretty much honest with her.

And then Portuguese answered back like she got calmed down.

She's like, okay, thank you.

I just wanted to know.

I guess she just wanted to make sure that she wasn't being played the whole time, which she wasn't like me her met after.

But isn't that crazy?

And I told all my friends about that.

Even all my friends that are girls, like, my friends, like my friend Kelly, my friend Jeff, Jamie, even they said it.

They were like, yo, that girl's.

That chick is nuts.

You know, it's like she was a little, like, extra.

You guys dated for a month.

It's not like you guys were married.

It's not like you guys dated for a year.

Two years married.

Like, this girl's reaching out to people that you post pictures of on Facebook with or Instagram and you dated for a month.

That's nuts.

That's a little over the top.

My friend Kelly was like, I would never do that.

That's a good friend.

That does sound, like, a little insane.

I mean, it's one thing if we, like, dated, like, long.

Not even.

I mean, I guess.

I guess it'll be.

It'll give you, like, some sort of, like, justification or some sort of.

Yeah, I mean, even you, like, rationalize it a little bit.

If you, like, dated with somebody for A long time.

You hang out with the girl for a month, right?

Doesn't work out, you hook up once after that, but that's it.

And then like a month later you see her post a picture of some dude.

You track that dude down and call him.

Like, why are you with her?

Yeah, exactly.

It's like, that's not.

You're embarrassing yourself.

Like guys wouldn't do that.

Yeah, like you're embarrassing yourself.

It's like you dated for a month, you know, it's not your, you know, it's not even your ex wife or anything, you know.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

That's insane.

That's my Portuguese story.

Back to my Portuguese story of.

I was in high school, I was like 16 and that's when I got my, my first like, I guess like official job job after packing bags when I was like in 8th grade, 7th grade, like type.

It was my.

Oh as a matter of fact, when I was, I packed bags when my dad used to work in a restaurant, in a supermarket.

I mean, and he was like the manager of like the deli, like area, whatever section.

And I used to go with him on Saturdays.

I remember when I was like in second or third grade and I used to like pack bags like on like Saturdays, like through the summer, like type of thing I used to make.

I think the most I made was enough to buy like a 14 or like 17, like pencil holder thing that I thought was the most awesome thing ever, like to go back to school.

I still remember it.

It was like, it kind of looked like a Trapper Keeper type of thing.

Like I had like that, that like plastic but with like Velcro on it.

And it like sealed, you know what I mean?

And like buttons on it and it shot open like different compartments that like came out like an eraser or like a little ruler or like a little.

It was like dope.

I.

I love that thing.

I remember I bought that and then that was just like, you know, little elementary school, like side gigs or whatever.

But when I was in junior high I used to pack bags like on my own.

Like I went to like some random restaurant that a friend of mine in junior high I went to 210 in CO.

Queens.

He used to go to the pack bags after school and I, I started going with him like on the regular like after school every day for like a couple hours.

And it was a.

Compare foods on like Liberty Avenue and on like the borderline of like Brooklyn and Queens.

And I remember there I actually used to like make dough like 15, 20, a day for like a kid in seventh, eighth grade.

That is dope.

It was dope.

I remember I bought my first pair of, of anything that I've ever bought myself.

Like, like clothes wise or whatever.

It was a pair of dolomite boots that were like in style back then.

And I remember I.

I bought myself those and I think I like stopped after that.

Like I stopped working after that.

But like a quick side note, he actually showed me how to like rig payphones.

Like if you put a clothes pin on the side, like there was a payphone like right behind us, like where we used to pack bags.

Do payphones still exist?

I don't think so.

Like very rarely.

But there was like a.

Talk about a dying thing.

I know, right?

Bell Atlantic.

That was old school.

There was like if you stick a clothespin into the payphone on the side, like where the key goes, like there's like a entry for like a key thing where you know, they, the people, I guess who worked on payphones.

I remember that.

Yeah.

Or whatever.

If you stick a, A pincho, like a hair.

Pincho thing that girls wear.

Hair clip.

Yeah, a hair clip or whatever.

But like the little metal, metal ones.

The little metal ones you stick on the side in a certain way.

Like he showed me.

You use the, the like where you put the receiver, the phone.

Like you, you press it like eight times.

That's eight.

You put.

Press it.

You press it once.

That's a ero.

You press it nine times.

That's a nine.

And like we used to dial like that like morse code type like sticking the beach on the side to like doctor.

And I called, I remember I called like doctor a couple times like from there.

Are you serious?

Yeah, for free.

Like it would work.

That was like an urban legend.

It works, bro.

I swear to God it.

Well, I don't even think there's landlines anymore that have like the receiver thing.

But you could try it from home.

If you do have a landline.

If you press like seven, you press seven times.

I have my cell phone.

You press.

Yeah, exactly.

It doesn't exist anymore.

No, I actually have.

I pay for a home phone cuz it's part of like the package.

Package?

Yeah, but I don't have a, A physical like landline.

But if you press like so you.

Just pay for it and like just eat it.

Cuz you part of the package.

Yeah, yeah.

So you get like Internet, cable and like landline.

I just.

It's still cheaper to have that.

Have it with it, right?

Exactly.

I should call them K Boy Online.

Yo, I gotta call.

I gotta do a lot of work this week.

Like, my insurance went up.

Like, my ATT bill went up.

Like, I gotta call.

I gotta call Geico.

I gotta call AT&T.

My shit's.

Like, my Geico would take advantage of you.

I think if you don't speak up, they'll just keep charging you rates.

Mica went up, actually, by, like, I think, like, 15 to 20 bucks.

Mine, too.

I hit them up and they told me that.

That rates for New York, right?

Medical.

Yeah, in New York for medical and for, like, accident repair has gone up.

So they had to do, like, a blanket, like, overhaul of everybody's, like, policy.

It's not just me.

And it increased a bit.

No, it's not true.

Yeah, my thing went up.

My AT&T went up also, but I never hit them up.

It went up like.

Like, five.

I got a couple.

Five bucks or something.

Ridiculous.

It works, too.

When you call them, like, you threaten to leave them.

It works sometimes.

Sometimes it does.

It does.

It happened.

That happened to me with, like, my, like, my American Express.

I was even.

Even.

I was just, like, you know, doing, like, you know, like, just calling all my credit cards, and I.

I called them and I was just like, how much is my interest rate, by the way?

I called them for something completely different, like.

And I was like, oh, by the way, how much is my interest rate?

They were like.

They got all nervous.

They're like, why?

I'm like, well, not.

They say why, but you could tell they got nervous.

They're like, oh, you're paying whatever, 20.

It's like, oh, but we could drop it down to 11.

Like, they thought I was calling to, like, cancel the card because my interest rate was too high.

They got.

They got so defensive.

They're like, we could drop it to 11%.

They.

I was like, okay, all right, do that.

Sure.

Yes, please.

So then what I think about that.

All right, so I got the dolo minds or whatever.

So that was like, my, like, first, like, on my own, like, job.

Like, go getter, like, job type of thing.

And then when I was 16 in high school, I was a freshman in high school and.

Or sophomore, I think at that point, the beginning of sophomore year, I got the job at the Portuguese restaurant.

Where.

Where.

That's where I learned to be, like, conversational and, like, Portuguese.

Because I started, like, asking, you know, speak good Portuguese.

I'm conversational.

Like, I wouldn't say good.

I can't, like, write a book in Portuguese or something, you know?

I mean, but I could.

You could talk.

I could pick up things and.

And have a choppy conversation.

Exactly.

I could get by.

Have you been to Portugal?

No, never.

Oh, it's beautiful.

Always wanted to.

Yeah.

I have a friend that recently, recently went and, like, I still, you know, a couple people, like, I'm still in touch with from, like, back in those days, like, they go to Portugal like, every year.

Like, I would go to, like, doctor type of thing, you know.

So I started working at this Portuguese restaurant in Jamaica, Queens, which one?

Olavidors, which is still there.

And it was like a family style restaurant, A what they called a, like a bar side and like a dining room side side.

I used to work on the dining room side.

I was 16 years old.

I was the.

The busboy is what I started as.

Okay.

And then I would help out on the bar side.

Like, I would tell them, like, you know, if you guys need help, you know, I want to go to, like, the other side and help and sort of like one wall, like, dividing us.

Like, you can walk over from the other side and.

But they had it, like, separated, you know, like a dining room experience or in a bar experience.

And, like, as a kid, like, I always looked older, so they were like, you know what?

Whatever.

And legally, in New York, you can.

You can serve liquor when you're 18.

Like, even though you can't drink.

Like, you don't.

You don't have to be 21 to drink.

Yeah, it was back then.

I don't know what it is now, but at 18, you can serve.

You just can't drink.

So but by, like, you know, six months in, I was already, like, working in the bar and, like, helping them out because I was just, like, willing to do the work, you know, I mean, they're like, all right, if you want to work for the same pay, like, go ahead, you know.

And I used to work on both sides on the.

On the dining room side and the bartending side and the bar side.

And then eventually, like, by the time I was like, 17, 18 years old, I started bartending.

I was bartending in the bar.

Some days I was working in the dining room, some days, like, on my own as, like, I went from, like, bus boy to, like, bartender and head waiter, and, like, I was on, like, both sides.

Moving up in the world, huh?

Moving up in the world.

And you ever see Coming to America?

I just thought.

I just thought of that right now.

If anybody that's listening to this right now has not seen Coming to America, turn this off.

You're not Allowed to listen to this podcast.

Of course.

I started on mop up duty just like you guys.

Now I'm on fries.

I was a Louis Anderson.

You know that McDowell's that they, they use that.

I'm pretty sure.

I don't know if this is Lake True or not, but I'm pretty sure that they use the McDonald's that's on Suffolk Boulevard in Jamaica Avenue.

That's like right across the street.

Normal Wendy's.

I think that's the location that they used for the McDowells.

The fake McDowells, you mean the inside.

Of it and the outside, even they showed like outside Boulevard.

That was legit.

Yeah, Queens.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

Queens Boulevard and, and stuff in Boulevard, like where that like crosses or like Queens Boulevard and Jamaica avenue.

There's a McDonald's there.

There is right across here from Wendy's.

No, I think that's what Elmhurst, the.

One by Queens Mall.

Really?

I'm pretty sure they did.

Yeah.

Okay, then I'm wrong.

I'm pretty sure they did.

I told you when I was dating, remember Kelly, Mexico friend Kelly.

I remember the name.

She had friends from, from Europe that came in from England and visited us for like a weekend.

The only thing they wanted to do was go to that McDowell's.

Yeah.

They're like, can we take a picture in front of it?

I was like, it's a Wendy's now, but okay, get the out.

We had to go one day and we, we.

I pulled up in front and they wanted like, take pictures.

We like, literally took like, like it was like, like it was like a tourist site.

Like it was like the World Trade center or something.

Like, yeah, yeah.

They were like, that's the only thing they cared about.

They're like, all right, we're done.

That's insane.

We got what we came here for.

That's awesome, yo.

But back to the Portuguese story.

So then I went from there to the person that was the manager of the restaurant section.

He left to go work at a restaurant in Minneola.

And then he took the guy that also was like, above me that like trained me when he went over there, he called him, and then he wound up going over there also.

So then that's where I like got bumped up to, like, all right, now you're like the head, whatever.

You, you were like the next in line, you know, everything, whatever.

Just like run the living room, the dining room type of thing.

And then that guy called me and said, do you want to.

Do you want to come work In Minola, you know, it's.

It's more money or whatever.

Whatever, blah, blah.

I told them by that time I was like a.

A junior or senior in high school.

School.

I was like a junior in high school.

And I was like, listen, I don't.

I don't have, like, any way of getting over there, you know, Like, I didn't, like, drive or, you know what I mean, taking along on the railroad.

Like, to me it was like a foreign land.

You know, it's like Minneola, Long Island.

I hadn't left Queens at that point, aside from, like, going to doctor on, like, family vacations.

And he was like.

He told me, which is something that, like, I'll always appreciate and I always, like, attribute to, like, having.

Having like.

Like.

They say there's three kinds of people in your lives, in your life.

That's like an angel that, like, comes by, whether it's like, for a fleeting moment or for, like, a significant amount of time, but to, like, point you in the.

In a certain direction.

And then there's a mirror, which is people that come into your life, you know, the same way, whether it be for a fleeting woman or.

Or for a longer amount of time to, like, show you a mirror of what you either want to be or what you don't want to.

To be.

And the other one is a crystal ball type of person that shows you, like, what your future, like, could be type of thing.

To me, he was like, kind of like one of those, like, angels, like, yo, I could like, hook you up at this point in time, like, type of thing.

And he told me, he was like, I live in Queens also.

Like, I could literally, if you find your way, like, to the restaurant, I'll take you home every night.

Because my biggest thing was, like, I'm 17 years old.

My parents, you know, I'm gonna tell them, oh, I'm gonna go work in Long island somewhere on, you know, while I'm still in high school, you know, peace.

Like, of course they're gonna be like, hell, no.

What are you nuts?

Like, what the is going on?

They were like, on the same page, like, with me in terms of, you know, that's far.

That sounds crazy.

You know what I mean?

Like, you're in high school, you know, finish your schoolwork, go to college type of thing.

And he offered to, like, bring me back.

And then, like, I sold my parents on that.

The fact that, you know, I have a ride back every night, you know, I'm not gonna be coming back at, like, 2 or 3 in the morning, morning by myself, like on the train as a 17 year old, you know, somebody's gonna drop me off in front of the house.

And he used to do that.

He offered to do that to me.

And his name is George, by the way.

George Nobre.

Shout out to George Novre.

And he like brought me every single night after work freestyle.

They drove me to the house and dropped me off and there at.

At ema.

At Cafe Sport, which is the name of the place I used to work Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Mondays, Friday after school.

Mondays.

Sometimes it wasn't like every Monday, but it was like Mondays after, Mondays after, after school as well.

And like Saturdays and Sundays, like all day.

It was like a double shift.

I literally used to make.

Just to go back to the whole, like, conversation of, you know, DY just.

Staring at us with the mics.

They were like, what is going on?

With what's going on?

Yeah, it's a podcast authority right here, buddy.

Keep walking.

Keep walking, buddy.

What you call it?

Like, I used to make like in those, like four days, like 6, 7, 800 a weekend.

That's awesome.

As a 17 year old kid, that's money.

Tax free cash.

At the end of every night, the least I would make was like 500 bucks, which is still for four days worth of work.

As a 17 year old with no bill, my only bill is my cell phone.

You kicking it?

You know, I mean, like, it was like dope.

It was like a amazing experience and.

Do a lot of money.

Blow it.

Did you blow it away or just say something?

I saved some like, back then.

It's like when I got into like the.

That's when like Fast and Furious came out and I got.

Got into like the whole like, car.

Yeah.

I blew it into what we now call rice burners, which are like, I had a accurate integra LS that I like crashed into a phone pole.

Did you really?

I did and like demolished it after.

I put like a bunch of money into it.

Like more money than the car's worth into it.

And then what happened?

From there I was.

I remember I was on Bushwick.

I was with my mother in the car.

Oh, shit.

And there was like a white van like next to me.

And, you know, the lights green.

I'm going, I'm driving.

And I get in front of the white van.

The white van hit me in the back and I spun around, hit a light pole.

The white man fled, like, bounce and I hit the light pole.

And I remember like at the last second, like grabbing my mom like, putting my hand, like, in front of her to make sure, like.

Like, I don't know, like, try to hold her, I guess.

He.

Yeah, she did.

We both had her seatbelts on.

She was completely fine.

She was, like, in shock, I think, because she was, like, completely calm afterwards.

I, like, banged my head on the steering wheel.

The.

The airbags came out.

I have, like, a lump that I think I still have on my leg right now, like, just from, like, bouncing up, like, hitting the steering.

Steering wheel.

And I had, like, a.

Like, a burn mark on.

On my head, like, from the steering wheel.

Like, the car was demolished.

Like, I had to, like, we towed it away and, like, junked it.

And then from there, you know, we were both fine.

And then from there, I wound up, like, continuing to save up, and I bought another Integra gsr.

And by the time I got it, like, I got.

Because, like, the whole thing with the whole, like, that whole, like, scene, like, car scene is, like, trying to build your car up to a certain point.

And I wanted to have the car with the certain rims and the certain spoiler and the certain, you know, dropped.

And, like, I.

I didn't have my.

My LS Integra.

My 94 LS, I think it was to that point.

And then I got the 95 GSR that I bought after that, and then I built it up to that point where I wanted to.

It with.

I had the spoiler, the leather interior, the rims that I wanted, which were, like, the.

The, like, GSR rims and the type R wing and whatever.

It was, like, exactly how I wanted it.

But by that point, I, like, outgrew, like, the whole scene, and I didn't want it anymore.

And then I wound up selling the car.

And I remember, I think I sold it for, like, 6,500 or, like, something like that.

That's not bad.

And.

But still, like, in that, like, world, like, I'm pretty sure, like, always wasted, like, 10 or 15, like, grand, like, on.

You know.

I mean, like, I wasted more than I got out of it, but whatever.

It was, like, part of the experience, and.

And, like, that's what I was into back then.

So, like, everything that I had would, like, go to that.

Like, buying a new, like, exhaust or, like, whatever.

A new radio or.

Yeah, exactly.

Anyway, I gotta take a piss.

All right, we'll pause this.

All right.

Routines on the boulevard of Linden It's a tribe called quest 5 dog q.

Tip rest in peace 5 dog q tip Keep keeping on.

So I'm distracted by this girl in front of us in her bikini.

I'm not for the record, okay.

You ever seen that movie?

I just thought of that movie, Beverly Hills Cop, the first one.

Never seen it.

Remember classic, when tigers, like tigers look a tight ass, you know, Tiger, Tiger, Tiger was like.

Like a tight ass.

They go.

Eddie Murphy takes him to the strip club.

He doesn't want to go.

And then, like, the.

The.

The stripper comes over, like, dancing with them.

He's like, here, put this in her.

And he was like, tag her.

Don't be embarrassed if your dick's hard.

It's supposed to be.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, man.

Was it going be to ask you places you've traveled?

What about it?

I think we've come to terms with the fact, you know, being here on the beach here in Coney island in Brooklyn, that a beach is a beach is a beach.

I agree.

Besides that, tell me about, like, dope places that you've been to that you would recommend.

Zurich, Switzerland comes to mind right away.

Damn.

Why?

It's just a.

It's very.

You know what reminded me me of, like.

Like, Transylvania.

It reminds me, like, if vampires exist, they're in that city.

Damn.

Yeah, that sounds sick.

It's very, like.

It's very, like, gothic, Gothicy, European, you know.

Celtic.

Yeah, Celtic.

It's very cool, though.

It's such a cool city.

And it's not as big as Paris, not as big as London.

It's like a smaller of the.

You know, a smaller version of those cities, but just as cool.

Probably even cooler because it is smaller, because it is quainter, you know, Nice.

It's cool.

I liked it a lot.

I.

I loved Zurich.

The food was good.

The people were chill.

Like, you know, at night, it got very gothicy and, like, you know, like the water, you hear the bells.

The people are cool because they wanted to.

But I can kill you.

Like the fog.

You know what I'm saying?

Like quintessential, like, London fog type.

Yeah.

I was, like, walking down the street.

I thought, like, someone was gonna come from, like, next to me with a raincoat and, like, suck my neck, you know, like a vampire.

It's like, you know those vampire movies?

It was just like that, but, like, it was cool.

That's sick.

But of course, besides that, it came to mind when you said that.

But of course, Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is an amazing city.

Like, the best museum I've ever been to my life is the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Nice.

Yeah, we.

I went to.

So in the morning, like, we went to get Breakfast and then we went to, like, the Heineken Brewery, drank some Heinekens, you know, polished a couple Heinekens and went to, like, a pot pop bar.

Smoked, like, smoke some.

Some weed.

Nice.

And then we, like, walked around, like, when.

Then we ended up at the.

The Van Gogh Museum high as.

And it was just amazing.

Like, amazing.

Look at all the things.

Do you think it would have been just as amazing sober?

Probably not.

Yeah.

I'm just being honest.

From eating a Sunday to seeing a Vince.

And they love.

They love American hip hop there.

I remember.

I remember being there.

They're called.

So they're called cafes, like, pop bars there.

And what's the thing, real quick.

Cafes that have pot.

Coffee shop.

Coffee shops have pot.

Cafes don't have pot.

Yeah, cafe is like an actual cafe, you know, Coffee shops are the pop bars.

And I walk into one, they're just, like, blasting 2 Tupac.

Like, they love Tupac.

They were just, like, pumping, like, you.

Know, some next level while I ride on my enemies.

It's just like, what do you know whose enemies are.

They love, like, Tupac and.

Yeah, they were just hanging out, just smoking.

Smoking weed, chilling.

It's like they.

They smell.

They sell weed.

Like, joints, like, in a pack of cigarettes, like here.

Yeah, it's crazy.

So that was fun.

Amsterdam was great.

The food was amazing.

The food in Amsterdam is on par with New York as far as, like, it's a very cultural, ethnic city where, like, you go down the street, you can have, like, what do you want?

You want Brazilian?

Do you want Italian?

Do you want, like, Chinese?

Like, whatever kind of food you want.

They got, like, a lot of.

It's like New York in that sense, you know, like, what do you want to get tonight?

Like, you know, it's like, I don't even know.

I don't even know if I had Dutch.

I don't even know what Dutch food is.

But, like, I had, like, amazing Greek food that night.

One night.

And another night I had, like, an amazing Italian dinner.

Like, they have really good, like, ethnic food from other countries.

I don't think I ever had Dutch food.

That's cool.

Yeah, it's cool to have that variety.

Yeah.

Where else would I say was fun?

Chicago, obviously.

I love Chicago.

I mean, Paris was great, too.

Like, if we're talking about overseas, I've been to Europe a lot.

Paris is great.

Paris is a cool.

Paris is like.

How do I explain Paris?

Paris is like.

It gets a lot of.

It does get a lot, like, out of every.

Out of I've never had, like, a snooty response.

Like, people I know people, like, it's.

It's got a bad R.

About being snooty to Americans.

Yeah.

And dirty and, like, grimy and, like.

No, you kidding me?

It's the opposite.

Really?

Yeah.

I mean, maybe compared to other city.

Like, dude, keeping gra.

Like, we.

We grew up in New York.

New York is a dirty city.

Yeah, exactly.

When you travel the world, like, one thing you'll realize quickly is how dirty New York is compared to other cities.

It's a very dirty city.

Like, you know, like, the subways are dirty.

Dirty.

Like, the streets are dirty.

Like, it's different on this.

Like, Paris was cool.

Like.

Like, not on that level, but, like.

Like, every building is, like, really nice.

Like, the post office, like, this amazing architectural masterpiece.

You know, it's.

It's also because they had to rebuild the whole city after World War II when.

Like, when Nazi Germany invaded it, it destroyed the city.

So, like, it's kind of.

It's still.

It's very old in nature, but it's still.

It's.

It's also very new because they had to rebuild the whole city after the 1940s so that I.

What it looks like now, you know?

Yeah, like, the aesthetics.

Yeah, exactly.

So it's.

It's much.

It's much more modern than it.

Than it should be, I guess, given this how old that city is.

Yeah.

But, yes, Paris is cool.

I love Paris.

Nice.

But.

Yeah.

The only, like, European city I've been to that was dirty, like, New York was Milan.

When I went to Milan, I remember riding the subway there.

It was like graffitis on the.

Graffiti on the wall.

1980S New York.

Yeah.

It was like New York.

I was like, damn, this is grimy.

This is grimy.

The New York.

Damn.

Yeah.

But where else?

I love.

Obviously when I went down to Galapagos in Ecuador.

That was awesome, too.

You went there?

Yep.

Beautiful.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

Very, very, like, worthwhile.

You should.

Is there.

Is there, like a.

Like, an area there that's, like, preserved from, like.

Who was it?

Charles Darwin?

Darw times.

Yep.

Absolutely.

There's a.

You know, it's really cool.

There's a.

It's like a couple island chains, you.

Know, that's where, like, Charles Darwin came up with a theory of, like, evolution type of thing.

His book Origin of Species, he wrote there.

Damn.

Yeah.

As he came up with the theory of evolution there because of the.

Of the.

Of the animals that he saw in Galapagos island were so completely different.

From every other animal in, like, mainland South America.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

That's so sick.

Yeah.

How, like, seeing something could like, take your mind in a direction that's, like, completely different from like, what you're used to.

Yep.

And just, like, open up, like, a neural pathway towards, like, something that, like, transcends time, you know?

I mean, that we're still talking about, like, right now.

Yep.

That's nuts.

Yeah, he came up with that.

He started, like, a whole, like, branch of science just from what he visually saw in Ecuador at the Galapagos Islands.

Think about it, like, the theory of evolution, like, that's crazy.

Co totally goes against, like, the whole theory of, like, the.

Any religious.

The Christian church, you know, you know, Adam and Eve, you know.

That'S nuts.

They came from, like, a Latin American country that's, like, you know, all Latin America is very Catholic, very, you know, conservative Catholic.

So it's, like, kind of ironic that, like, it.

It came from one of those countries.

You know, Shout out to Ecuador.

Yeah.

Bias being Ecuador, but, you know, we'll.

Take it almost, so.

That's awesome.

Yeah, it was.

It was pretty cool.

Like, Ecuador is really nice, too.

I like that.

It's kind of very modern now, too.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I haven't been there.

I haven't been there in years.

But actually, did I tell you we're having a family reunion next.

Next month in Bayside.

All of my.

All my uncles, my aunts, my cousins from Ecuador are coming up.

That's awesome.

It's crazy.

How much is it, like, the first time for like.

Like some of them.

For a lot of them.

It's funny you say that, because it's so crazy.

Growing up, when I was younger, you know, when I was in, like, you know, grammar school, high school, whatever, none of them would ever come up.

We'd always go down there.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But now the game has changed.

They're.

They're making more money there, I guess, and for whatever reason, like.

Like, able to, like.

Yeah, they're able to come up here now.

Like, before, they weren't able to come up.

Now, like, they come up here, like, honestly, my parents.

Parents are hosting someone from Ecuador at least every other month.

That's awesome.

It's like, so many people come up here now and.

Pretty cool.

Yeah, they come up here and also because my cousin's out there, are doing very well for themselves.

My uncle owns his own business down there.

He's doing very well, and it's, like, a huge business.

He employs pretty much all family.

Nice yeah, they're all doing very well.

Like, they come up here like, they go to like the malls, they go to like, they go to the outlets, they go to like the, like, honestly, they go in the Apple store, they, they come out with like boatloads of Apple.

Apple products.

Yeah.

IPads, iPhones, MacBooks.

It's like that you don't even buy.

Yeah, I'm just like, damn, I can't even afford that.

Yeah.

Because it's so much more expensive down there, you know?

Yeah, yeah.

So yeah, they're doing good.

So they're.

Look at that boat.

Look how packed that is.

Damn.

But anyway, yeah, they're all coming up.

It's like the third one that we see like that like.

Yeah, like rim to rim.

It's a good party boat.

Labor Day weekend.

Hurrah to the summer.

Balls to the wall.

What about you?

Where's the craziest place you've ever traveled.

In terms of crazy or just like.

Unique or just different?

That stood out like the most different place for me was what I was telling you before.

The Costa Rica.

Costa Rica, okay.

That was like the dopest, like my favorite vacation ever that I've ever taken.

Did like white water rafting, snorkeling, ip lining, tour of like a national.

And that was pretty sick.

Besides that, it's just like Florida.

Doctor, have you ever been outside of the western hemisphere?

Yeah, to India, but.

That's right, it was for work.

I've been there three times.

That must have been a culture shock.

Yeah, it was.

But you know what?

It was.

What?

It wasn't.

Like, I, I did a couple episodes like, I did like a, like think like three or four episodes about India on the podcast and it was pretty much pointing out how any place outside of the US at least for me, and like my experience is very similar.

Like Costa Rica reminded me of Dr.

India reminded me of Costa Rica.

Like every like third world type country, like experience, like everything outside of the US outside of New York, like felt the same to me.

Like there was something like homogeneous about it.

Like, I don't know if it's the poverty or like a lot of poverty in India.

There is.

Yeah, but it's just like in terms of like the architecture and just like the, the city, like facilities and stuff like that.

Like I can see doctor In India.

I can see Costa Rica in the R.

I can see India in Costa Rica.

You know what I mean?

Like a lot of the.

Is like the cement buildings, the cormados, the corner stores, the.

It like all look the Same to me.

And all very different from New York.

Like, equally different from New York.

That's something that I definitely, like, took away from it.

But it was definitely a cool experience.

Interesting.

Yeah.

I went to India.

I told you I want to go to.

I want to go to Asia.

Like.

Yeah.

It's hard though.

Like, it's hard to like go with, you know, like, you.

You can always go yourself.

But like, I hate traveling by myself.

I get bored easily.

I need to like, not.

Not bored.

Lonely.

Easy.

Yeah, it's like I need someone to, like, talk to.

Yeah, I can't imagine, like the closest to traveling by myself was like literally going to India.

Like, when I went to like India through.

I've gone three times.

Two times were through Abu Dhabi and one time was through England.

And the time I went through England was literally by myself.

Like, the other two times with like at least one or two co workers and.

But the time through, through England was by myself.

And there's like a lot of alone time, like when you're there and you know, it's like co workers.

It's not like your boys or anything like that.

So it's like a different type of vibe and experience, like, regardless.

Well, I told you.

I spent the night in Paris by myself.

Really?

Yeah.

My last night in Paris, I was by myself because everybody like left and everybody had a flight the day, but so I had like my flight the next day.

So I had to stay for that night.

How was some night?

Really?

Yeah, I.

I ended up like going to hotel.

Like, can you like, recommend a good hotel?

Like, not touristy, like something offbeat, you know.

He recommended this place really good, like really authentic French food.

It was like, it was like, like steak.

Steak Bordeaux.

Like, it's like French wine sauce.

It was really good with like a side.

Like, I think it was like a rice side.

It was really good.

Nice.

And then I'm like walking around, walking around.

I was like, I don't want to go home.

I don't go hotel room yet.

It's like nine o' clock at night.

I'm bored, you know, I don't want to go out.

I'm in my last night in Paris and I'm gonna sit in my hotel room, you know.

True.

Walking around, walking around.

I was like, let me find a bar or something.

I have a drink, a couple bars I passed by, but like, really packed.

I was like, I need something a little more like, you know, low key, where I don't feel weird being by myself, you know.

So I found this Bar.

It looks like, like, you know, like a regular, like, you know, neighborhood bar.

I was like, all right, this place is cool.

A couple people at the bar.

I was like, all right, I can post up here.

I walk in, order a drink at the bar, chill.

Like we're in a laid back local bar.

Right off the bat, I'm none.

The guy's talking me in English.

I'm like, oh, this guy's American.

I was like, you're American?

He was like, yeah.

I'm like, you choose a kid?

He's like, he's like.

He's like, where are you from?

I'm like, I'm from Queens.

He starts laughing.

He's like, I'm from Brooklyn.

Damn.

Yeah.

So we just hit it off.

We hit it off.

We saw, we saw like, you know, BSing the whole night.

He's buying me drinks, shots, chilling.

Then he's like, yo, my boys are coming from New York, from New York, Jersey.

We're going to close the bar down and just hang out.

We're going to probably hit up an after hour spot if you want to come.

I was like, yeah, why not?

Like, they were cool.

We hung out with all of them.

We went to something like really, really cool after hour spot.

We met some girls.

I met some girl from Jersey that night.

I remember we hooked up a couple times back here in the States.

Damn.

Like, like weeks later.

We hung out for like another month after that.

She was cool.

She had a nice body.

She was on queen side.

No, no, she's from Jersey.

Nice.

She was from like Long Branch, New Jersey.

I think so.

Yeah.

That was a crazy night.

Just crazy how you get into things, you know, you don't.

It was so unexpected.

Like that would have never happened if I went back to my hotel room, you know, I would never stay there.

And like rented a movie type of thing.

Yep.

I ended up hanging out with this girl, ended up hanging out with like in that summer back in New York.

She was cool.

Good summer.

It was a very good summer.

And here we are in Brooklyn taking in the Coney island sun.

We should want a Jet Ski.

That would be sick.

Yeah, that would be sick.

They don't rent them here.

They don't, right?

I don't think so.

That would be so fun.

I haven't done that since South Beach.

030405, something like that.

Would you get that thing?

The cooler?

No, the, the MP3 player.

Yeah, the Roland RS05.

I think it is like the model or whatever just ordered it on when I was doing My podcast research before starting the Sponsor day podcast about three and a half, four years ago that was one of the top MP3 players players to order.

And I ordered that one.

Plug it into the computer, upload that MP3 file, do a little editing to take out like the dead air type of thing.

Okay.

What does that tattoo mean?

What I was, what I am, what I will be.

God's Project.

Before I would say the.

This caveat before there was a amentura CD that came out called God's Project.

That was the title of the album.

It was before the album came out.

But I did get the idea from them because at the end of the previous album, before that album they had like a skit talking about, you know, like the group and how they came together and oh, a lot of people don't know we've been you know, doing this for like 10 years already.

Whatever, blah, blah.

That's like when they became popular and they were like, you know, it's like God's project or whatever.

God's project.

I like that.

And it like faded out and then from there I was like, oh, that'll be a dope.

Like what I was, what I am, what I will be.

And then add God's project to the end of it.

That is pretty dope.

And then they came out their next album after that.

They titled it God's Project.

I was like, oh, just seemed like, like they're from Mad Cliche.

They're from New York or from Dominican.

They're from the Bronx.

Yeah, they're from.

They're Dominican.

I know that the main, the main singer is actually half Puerto Rican.

Anthony Romeo.

Romeo.

Yeah, he's half Dominican, half Puerto Rican.

And then his.

The rest of the people on the band are Dominican.

This guy at my job loves to play that song.

Really?

Yeah.

Nice.

I think he's gay.

No, I think he's bisexual actually.

I think he's, you know, I think he's the switch hitter.

Yeah.

Plays both sides.

Yeah, both has the plate.

He makes comments and he's always very well dressed, like very well dressed.

Like over the top.

Like this is better than Chikyu status, bro.

Like what do you look at?

He's always sharp.

Like, like, like not a wrinkle on him.

Like, like shirt wise, you know, like pants wise.

Yeah, yeah.

No there's anything wrong that was to.

Guys are, are like second generation Americans like or first generation American coming from like Dominican and Puerto Rican background.

Okay.

Mainly Dominican though.

You still go to that barber shop on.

Was it Liberty Avenue on Jamaica Avenue.

Since high school.

Same barbershop I've been going to.

I went there one time.

Remember I told you?

Yeah.

I think I had, like, an emergency that night, like, where I had to go.

I think I had a party, something, and my barber was, like, clothes or something.

I think it was like, a Jewish holiday.

You have a Jewish barber?

He's a Russian Jew.

Yeah.

So I think it was, like a Jewish holiday.

I think it was.

I think it was Shabbat.

I don't know what it was.

And I think I was talking to you.

You're like, go to my guy, J.

Have, like, mad holidays.

Yeah.

Every Saturday is a holiday.

So I went to your guy.

Like, he's crazy.

He was good.

But it takes forever.

Yeah.

I mean, because if you're not a.

Regular and you don't have an appointment, it takes forever.

He takes forever.

Per person.

Yeah.

Like me, like, I'll hit him up once.

Once I got in the chair, it was great because he was, like, so detailed.

Everything.

Yeah.

But, like, they just left it, like, you know, like, cut your hair and talk below that.

Yeah.

Every Dominican are the Yankees or Red Sox, you know, I mean, like, every Dominican barber's office like that.

I've been going to the same Sox fans, too.

Yeah.

Big on Red Sox.

No.

Mets.

Less.

Much less.

Rarely.

I've been going to the same barbershop since high school and to.

I've had two barbers.

One, it's like, stop cutting hair.

And then his brother started, like, cutting hair, like, at the same barbershop.

And he learned from him, his brother.

And then that dude, like, bought out, like, the owner and became, like, the part owner of the barbershop.

Okay.

And I've been cutting my hair.

I started with the brother, like, the initially and then started with the other brother that bought out.

Happened with my guy.

My guy, like, he left and started his own thing, you know?

Yeah.

So I did that.

I've been going to him since high school.

Guys are weird like that.

We're, like, loyal to, like, our barbers.

I'm very loyal to my barber.

Yeah.

It's like, always, like, that one guy where.

Meanwhile, girls could go to, like, any salon and they can.

Right.

Like, a handful of salons.

Like, my wife, at least.

Like, she'll be like, I can't go.

I.

I don't like that salon, but I like this salon out.

And I'll take any girl at that salon or whatever, you know?

That is crazy, man.

You know, I just go to my guy, like, for.

I.

I left him for like a year, like, next six months to eight months.

Because when I moved to Forest Hills, it was kind of far because he's in.

He's in, like, the Flushing Whitestone border.

It's more Whitestone and right up the block from Holy Cross, and it's kind of far from me, you know?

Yeah.

You know, So I was like, it's kind of annoying.

So I tried to go to some barber in Forest Hills, and I dealt with him for, like, six months, even though I knew he wasn't great.

But I was like.

Then one day I was back with my cousin, like, hanging out.

It was like.

He was like, yeah, I'm going to Steve's to get a haircut.

I was like, yeah, I guess I'll get a haircut of Steve.

I went.

And I was like, I forgot how good he was.

You know what I mean?

Like, I was like, damn, no wonder.

Like, I was loyal to you, you know, you're dope.

He's like, who the cut your hair, now you it up.

I was like, I know the same.

So I never went back.

I what that was like.

I went back to him that day, and I never stopped going again.

Nice.

Yeah, I remember that time your hair was, like, tore up kind of.

No, I'm joking.

Yeah, it's hard to find, like, you know, and I just like to, like.

I like to, like, just to sit down in the chair and not say anything.

I can't even know what to do, you know, Exactly.

Although today I got.

This time I got a busk.

I don't know if you noticed, I got a bus blow.

I just took a sandal over myself.

Yeah, I usually, you know, don't have it this short.

I usually have my hair more grown out.

But that's what I like about my barber.

I fucking, like.

I.

You told text him the day that I want to go, and I'm like, you know, I want to go, like, around one, you know, what do you have available?

He's like, oh, come

at.

Come at, like, 2:30 or something like that.

I go like.

Literally, he says,

2:30.

It really means three.

So I know his, like, lingo already.

You know what

I mean?

So I show up, like, at 2:45 type of thing.

And, like, I walk in and, you know, I wait like, five minutes, and then the dude that he's cutting, like, I'm next.

Like, I know I'm next.

You know what I mean?

And then I go into the chair, cuss my hair.

Within a half hour, 45 minutes, he knows, like, what I get.

I don't have to bother.

That's great.

It's pretty dope.

Yeah, my guy.

My guy doesn't take appointments.

First come, first serve.

Yeah.

Damn, that sucks.

That sucks.

And it's good too, if you're not one of the first.

Yeah, this was a pretty good Pablo Antonio's day of fun, huh?

It was, yeah.

The beach.

What's up folks?

Tony here.

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