"Ming and Ting decided to seek help from the Dragon who lived on the Blue Mountain. It was New Year's Eve, and time for gift-giving, and perhaps the Dragon might be in a generous mood!" This tantalizing little teaser for the 1967 children's book, "The Dragon Liked Smoked Fish," is actually a spot-on description of my plans for the day. I'll be Ming and Ting, the help-seekers. The Dragon will (hopefully) be a 65+ year-old Eastern European Jewish man behind the counter of Barney Greengrass and Murray's Sturgeon Shop. New Year's Eve will be whatever the date is today. The gifts being given will be knowledge and lox. Blue Mountain will be the Upper West Side. You, my friends, will be the riveted little readers.
So here I go! This is my first bit of field work and I'm a bit anxious. Can I ask the questions that need to be asked? Can I get beyond my passive midwestern demeanor to take on the proverbial Dragon? Will I do right by you, my starving flock? We shall see.
And also, can I get through the pissy weather that is blanketing our fair city today? I took this photo from my fire escape this morning. Uy! Ay! Let's just pray I return bearing gifts.
Is that Mordor? I thought Big L was the ruler of your land, not Sauron!
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