Just Try and Top This One!

Way back awhile I heard a song on the radio. I loved it. Never heard it again. I did remember some lines of lyrics; but nothing about the title, or performer. From time to time I've attempted to find it with an Internet search.

I found it!

One Saturday I was driving home to Brooklyn from the dealership in New Jersey with a beautiful brand new 1972 Citroën D Special. Just like this one.

On the radio is playing a very catchy Cowboy song. Ever since after that one and only time hearing that tune, I've kept a mental note to find it. Somehow the stars were in alignment today. Here it is. After 43 years. A circle is closed. Auspicious, don't you think?

The song is called When I Was a Cowboy, written by the great Ralph McTell. He also wrote that wonderfully sentimental famous song, Streets of London.

Please take a stroll with me down memory lane. Enjoy ... (After that, Streets of London.) 

The Pączki Adventure* Continues ...

Our favorite Polish specialty store is Piast, the one in Passaic, New Jersey. We frequent that shop because the quality is excellent and the service friendly.

The other day we went shopping there and had this really interesting cultural experience. 

All the staff at Piast speak Polish. With some it's their native tongue; but English is not always the second language. That day we were waited on by someone who spoke no English. Well, a little; enough to know what amounts of this and that we wanted. Also, numbers; they place your order in a basket and give you its number to tell the cashier. And enough to convey that she didn't speak English.

So far so good. Excellent service. "Number 9."

While our previous experience was with a non-English speaking person, our next would be quite the opposite. Surprisingly, and fascinatingly so.

We approached the check out counter lingering and drooling over all the fancy pastries and baked goods. The cashier commented on how everything was so tempting. I agreed. I said we wanted to buy everything, it looked so good. Adding, that in fact the real challenge was to decide what not to buy.

This is what the cashier said: "The struggle is real"

I've heard that expression before, but never in my own person to person exchange. It was so apropos and so hip at the same time. Such a savvy command of the idiom. 

The Polish store is indeed full of so many delights.

* Read about our Pączki Adventure the other day ... CLICK