OK, now take a deep breath and read this entire blog before you make a snap judgment that I have crossed over into the dark side of insanity, or at best, delusion. Take another deep breath, and ....
First, let me describe where I have been living since July 2001 - 335 E. 51st Street, Apartment 1-F, New York, NY 10022. The building is an upscale, prewar, mid-rise building, 12 stories tall, with 8 apartments on each floor, 2 one-bedrooms, 4 alcove studios and 2 one-room open studios. There are two elevators. My apartment, 1-F, is an alcove studio and it faces the rear of the building as do all of the other alcove studios. Even though my apartment designation is 1-F, it is actually on the second floor.
The building has a live-in superintendent, who lives on my floor in apartment 1-A. On the weekend he is usually away from the building, at his upstate property. We have doormen on duty 24 hours, 7 days a week and their main purpose is to provide security. There are security cameras in the lobby area and in the elevators.
I have always felt that this is a very safe and secure building, as is the neighborhood.
OK, now the story begins. This past Friday night I had a 7:30 show down in SoHo. It was over around 8:45. I came back to the apartment, via subway, getting here around 9:15. For whatever reason I took the elevator even though I usually take the stairs 99.5% of the time.
When you get off the elevator on my floor, to the immediate left is apartment 1-H, directly in front is 1-A, occupied by the superintendent, and to the right is 1-B, a one room open studio. To get to my apartment you take a right from the elevator, walk about 20 feet, take a right into a short hallway and my apartment is on the left.
So ... when I stepped out of the elevator, this is what I saw on apartment 1-B ----
What the f**k? I couldn’t believe my eyes. I examined the papers and one of the papers said that the apartment had been closed due to “prostitution.” What the Hell???
I went to my apartment to leave my backpack, went back and took some pictures of 1-B with my iPhone, then went downstairs to to ask the doorman on duty what the hell was going on.
The doorman was not very forthcoming, to say the least. I did learn later on, from other “sources,” that the cops came in around 8:00, that the occupant of 1-B was not present, that it was part of a “sting” operation, that the occupant had been arrested for prostitution about a year ago, and that she showed up right after the cops left and was very very upset she couldn’t get into her apartment. The entire staff denies having any hint that anything illegal was going on.
Wow!!! All of that was happening on my floor and I was totally unaware of anything. In fact, I have only a dim recollection of seeing the occupant going into the apartment about once in all of the time I have been in the building. Remember, too, I often come into the building at rather odd hours and often late at night.
This is soooooooooo weird.
I spent most of the weekend pondering how this could happen in my building, in a apartment next door to the superintendent and none of the staff being aware of what was going on. I mean, how could this happen?
Then, it dawned on me just a few minutes ago... duh ... of course, in all likelihood the doormen knew about it and, of course, the superintendent knew about it ... because ... they were all part of the “deal.” There is a truism in the City that doormen know everything that goes on in their building, despite efforts to keep “things” secret. They know everything.
Now, I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but this is what my gut tells me is true.
It will be interesting to see what reaction the Condo Board and the Management Agency has starting tomorrow when the rest of the owners/tenants find out what has come down. Oh the drama ...
And, my faithful and loyal readers, the definition of brothel is: “an establishment housing prostitutes.”
Wow!! Living in New York City is certainly interesting.
I report - you decide.
Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com
PS: This was written while watching The Super Bowl. What a game!!
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