We must have slept about 3-4 hours, before we decided to head over the new apartment. We arrived around 7:00AM, and we decided that since Maciej needed to work today at 11:00AM, and the keys were going to be handed at 10:00AM, that perhaps we could get ahead of the game and move most of the light items.
Luckily the street was empty and there were no cars parked. We also lucked out because today, being Monday, we could only park across the street - there was a car parked on the wrong side of the street, to which almost parked behind of, but right at that moment we saw the traffic agent pull up a write up a ticket... Hence we parked on the on the other side of the road.
OK, so we started to move some items into the apartment, very quietly... Because we didn't want to disturb anyone... We moved stuff (about 65%) if the van contents... That was great... It was about 8:15 AM, and in less that 45 minutes we could finish up... Perfect timing.
Since we had plenty of time, Maciej decided to buy se breakfast, we headed towards this bagel store (very similar to Syosett's one)
At first I was just going to have a toasted bagel, since all these stores tend not to have vegan spreads... Wait this is the city... So... Ta-daaa
So I decided to get me an everything bagel with scallion tofu spread - not too bad
The shop was well stacked and it was very inviting and clean
From a small sweet bakery
Nice variety of cheeses
Even strings of cured mushrooms
So Maciej placed and pay for our breakfast orders...
And we headed back to our van where we ate our well deserved priced
Since things were going so smooth we figure that we could head to the rental agency and get the keys... So we drove off hoping to get the keys and finish moving in...well our fate decided that this was too easy... The agency mentioned that they have not revceived the lease, and hence the keys could not be surrender...
Things would start complicating a bit... To begin with we now had items in the place to which we didn't get keys for... Maciej had to be at work at 11:00AM... It was unclear when we would be getting the keys if at all...The van was alloted for only 1 day, so an additional day would incur double charges... Yes, things were getting more interesting...
So Maciej would be calling, through out the day, until finding out the final outcome...
The street where the car was parked alliowed ony for 2 metered hours fro 9:00-19:00... And I had to find somewhere warm because we had not much gas left in the van...
And found...
and
and
Luckily there was a WholeFoods about 4 blocks away... So I parked myself at wholefoods for 1hr & 45mins, before heading back out to place more credits on the meter.
Finally after 8 hours of waiting and going back and forth Wholefoods and the cargo-van, I received an SMS from Maciej, indicating that the keys would be arriving at 5:00 PM, then when I met with Maciej, it seemed that we were going to stay on the street for one more day... Maciej called again and persevered on his quest to obtaining the keys to his new apartment... we finally attained confirmation that the keys would be surrended to Maciej... and the rental office was only 2 blocks from the new apartment (thank you....) At this point it was 5:35 PM ( 1 hour and 35 mins passed the rental car expected returned time).
Once we had the key (victory!) we started unloading the remaining items left in the van (yes - we did unload some items in the morning, since the door was unlocked, before the building main entrance was locked)
it was already dark... but finally, Maciej had his place...
It was now 6:35 PM and Enterprise Rent-a-Car would be closing at 7:00PM, would I be able to return the car in 20 minutes (we are by Houston Street, and the rental was about 50 some blocks away)... I decided to give it a try... and made it, they only charged us for 2 more hours...and the gas that I did not place in the tank...(we saved on an extra day and the extra tax and insurance cover)
When I got back to Maciej's new place, we decided that we had to have a nice dinner to celebrate... Maciej invited me to a very nice Indian Restaurant on 6th Street, Raj Majal, next to Taj Majal - between 2nd and 3rd Aves. We order a full course of meal - starting with a soup
Followed by an appetizer of 2 samosas and 2 pakoras
Followed by the vast main courses
It was delicious... and well deserved... After 2 days of adventure and a few unexpected set of events... we made it.
After dinner Maciej walked me to the subway station, from where I headed to Penn Station, and eventually arrived home
where I was expected and welcome with one final task to fulfill...
What a day! What two days!
ReplyDeleteGlad you did not freeze your ears off in that van.