NY Diary 2: Of Unicorns and Mary Poppins

Reader editor Philip Davis has been in New York promoting his new book, a biography of Bernard Malamud. He has been writing about his new role as Malamud's posthumous publicist over on More Intelligent Life, but he has also been eating a great deal. In accordance with the old New York tradition, after the removal of lint, there is food:

We were out for breakfast at the Green Bean Cafe when these vacationers from Meridian, Mississippi (how do they spell it?) accosted the (also not shown) NY Editor Ms E. Stubin.

'Were you in the show last night?' young Amber asked our Enid.

'Show?'

‘Mary Poppins,' explained older sister Chloe. 'But Amber fell asleep.'

'I wasn't in that show,' our NY editor explained, 'Though I might have been - lots of people who hang out in cafés in this town are in shows- or want to be...'

‘What do you like best about New York?' asked Philip. His own best thing so far being Larges Liver and Pastrami sandwich.

'I have a unicorn in my room,' explained Amber. She also enjoyed the 'sliding stairs.'

Chloe was coping with an arm in a sling. They told us their favourite books were Cats, Angelina Ballerina, Care Bears and Gugi Gugi.

All this and pancakes too. English breakfasts don't compare.