In This Country....

 Scarface - Tony Montana

I'm happy! Well actually I wouldn't say happy, not quite yet. When I've plenty of the green to splash, then I'll be happy. Right now I'm content. Content because I start work today properly, over three weeks after arriving back in New Yawk City.

Monday morning, I called up the superintendent of an East 54th st. apartment building, without any kind of optimism I might add, to see if he had space available to hire a poor Irish kid. I had received his number a couple of weeks ago from the Irish Community Center here on McLean Avenue but had to patiently wait to speak with him until he got back from vacation. He asked me to come in the following morning at 8.30am and that, thankfully, was step 1 completed.
I set my alarm, managed to eventually get my head out of the feathers, dress sharp and make it in there just ten minutes late. The 'interview' wasn't much of one to be honest. The boss, John is his name, pretty much just raved on about golf for the duration of it. I did my best to contribute to the conversation and pretend I knew a lot about golf... but I know as much about golf as I do about women... and I know sweet fuck all about women! I didn't care though as long as he wasn't asking me any questions or requiring me to make up and list some decent qualities that I possess.

So the conversation (not entirely about golf) lasted about 15 minutes. Then he asked me if I wanted to start working that day. I politely declined that offer. Instead I start today at 3.30pm. Perfect time for me to be going to work really because I don't have to wake up early, something I genuinely despise doing!

I'm now employed at St. James' Tower on E 54th as well as The Coliseum on W 58th. Though I haven't got many hours from The Coliseum since my return to NYC, to show my gratitude for how well they treated me the last two years, I'd like to be available to work for them whenever they needed somebody, if they ever are stuck.

So no more spending the bulk of afternoons camped on the couch watching back to back episodes of Games of Thrones. Time to start making those dollar bills. In this scorching heat! Hope the first day goes smoothly and I survive without any problems.

As Tony Montana said...........

"In this country... When you get the money (or the sugar), you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women."

Chapter Number Three

I should think about changing the title of this blog from "How To Make It In America" to something else, because the way this summer has begun, this, my friends, is not how a man makes it in America. It's day 21 and I haven't worked a second, seen almost nothing new, barely partied and met fuck all people. I rarely leave my temporary residence for fear of spending cash foolishly and unnecessarily and if it wasn't for Euro 2012 and the NBA Finals happening right now, I think I'd have already lost the plot. The days so far have tended to be long, frustrating and boring ones.

However, it hasn't been all doom and gloom. I'm currently crashing on my friend Jenn's couch in her slick Yonkers apartment, which was initially meant to be for just a few days. Unfortunate circumstances have meant she's had to put up with my waste-of-space self a little longer. Honestly, if I didn't have her I'd be totally screwed right now! I met Jenn during a semester she spent at NUIM and it's been great getting to hang out with her again. Because she's so terrible at keeping in touch through Facebook I forgot what a fun girl she is and how well we get on. The first weekend I arrived she took me to her lovely home upstate where I met her very cool family - a nice experience, and one of the highlights of this summer so far (along with meeting up with the Clara lads for a few beers and buying a new toothbrush). Incidentally, that weekend, we went to see Sacha Baron Cohen's latest movie The Dictator. Sadly, it was closer to the low level of Ali G Indahouse than the heights of Borat and Bruno. It had some funny moments but, being honest, overall it was pretty fucking rubbish.

I did manage to get out and about and go training for the New York Offaly GAA team though. There was about 13 lads there, which was apparently a fantastic turnout, and the majority not from The Faithful County at all. I didn't have boots with me so I borrowed a pair, from one of the other players, that looked as though they'd been around since the 1960's. Don't get me wrong I was grateful to have them, I just felt like having my feet amputated afterwards. They were in bits! I may find a new pair before next time or I'll have to declare myself injured and unable to play.

I'm keeping calm and sane with the hope of getting together with good friends soon and that I'll finally be commencing work next week. I seriously need to start making the green if my plans are to work out as I would like them to. My Macbook is currently refusing to work so I'll have to fork out $300 to get that fixed first of all. Then there's the customary nights out, people to see and places to be etc. (depending on how long I'm out here there's a lot of traveling to be done).

Disappointingly that's I got all for now, hopefully the next entry will be a happier, more interesting read, and I might actually have some advice on how to make it in this terrifying, unforgiving New York City, as I've kind of forgotten from the past two summers.

PK