90
Finally, it was his turn to be served. Expecting a young nubile pretty thing in a severe black uniform, he was approached by a centenarian, in a blouse of brilliant colours: azure blue, budgerigar yellow and fuchsia pink, her body stooped forward almost in a vee shape.
“Can I help you, sir?"
He wheezed out his order and she didn’t miss a beat. He wasn't sure what startled him the most, her age, appearance or the brilliant smile that she bestowed upon him as she took his money. Forgetting himself, he smiled back with equal warmth, carting his large paper carrier bag of goodies out of the store.
Walking past Carnegie Hall, he rested for a moment. Since a child, he had fallen in love with classical music. Where he got this love confounded his English working-class family. His favourite adverts on television included the one for Benson and Hedges cigars. A man wrapped entirely in bandages was spectating a tennis match. As soon as he had managed to turn his whole head in the direction of the ball, the ball had been hit back to the opposite end of the court. Perpetually playing catch up, he gave up and asked his companion to light him a mini cigar and he found bliss, accompanied by Bach's ' Air on the G String'. Adverts were followed by news shows such as 'This Week'. Its theme music (and the first classical LP he bought) was the 'Karelia Suite' by Jean Sibelius. Later, he bought an LP record (and later a CD) of Vladimir Horowitz, giving his first piano recital at this very building.
He hummed a few bars of 'The Great Gate of Kiev' to himself as he proceeded to the basement of Time Warner Center - a few blocks away - to shop for groceries.
The 'Whole Foods' outlet sprawled across the entire basement. Until now, he had always been disappointed with the quality of produce in America compared to Canada. The place was great for gigantic, foot cube boxes of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers (akin to Peek Freans Cheeselets he used to devour in England) but hopeless in providing high-quality provisions.