... of Fleet Week is upon us.
Lord help us and save us.
Times Square is crawling with hot groups of sailors - all looking immaculate and hot ... Groups of them on every street corner, hashing out where they want to go, what they want to do ... Beautiful.
Last night: A cool blue spring evening, the lights of Times Square, the white-uniformed sailors everywhere...
I found myself smiling at groups of them randomly. I couldn't help myself. I'm sure they're used to that.
Posted by sheilaJeebus -- I clicked over here while I was waiting on hold to schedule the day's courier. I got a person on the line just as I read "immaculate and hot" and completely lost all concentration, forgot who I had called. The operator asked me my name and I was like "wha? How should I know?"
Posted by: Emily at May 27, 2004 1:22 PMYa know what's great? Sailing into your home town on a big grey fighting ship, gliding past the Statue of Liberty, while the airhorns of a thousand boats blaring and the spray of the fireboats twinkling rainbows all around. I never felt so proud to be a American sailor or New Yorker as I did that days so many years ago.
Go kiss one of them, red. He might just be my son.
Posted by: spd rdr at May 27, 2004 1:23 PMspd rdr:
Wow. How unbeLIEVably moving.
Many of them (judging by their accents) are far away from home ... and many do not look a day over 18. So touching.
I will kiss AS MANY OF THEM AS POSSIBLE, in the hopes that one will be your son. How's that?
Posted by: red at May 27, 2004 1:25 PMDeal. His a tall red head with a build like a linebacker and an easy smile. Goes by the name of "Brian."
Posted by: spd rdr at May 27, 2004 1:29 PMI will stand in the middle of Times Square and scream "BRIAN". These guys are everywhere.
Actually, in all seriousness, I hope Brian enjoys his short stay here.
I, on the other hand, hope he doesn't get arrested. Have fun!
Posted by: spr rdr at May 27, 2004 1:43 PMYou will kiss as many of them as possible! Truly selfless, red. What you won't sacrifice for your readers.
Last weekend when we went for coffee, the cafe was filled with firemen. At least a dozen of them. FIREMEN. I thought I was going to pass out. Actually, I was kind of hoping I would. Those guys are supposed to know CPR, right?
Posted by: Emily at May 27, 2004 1:47 PMah, yes the firemen.
Posted by: Allison at May 27, 2004 1:56 PMsigh. how is my going around the South Street Seaport saying "hey sailor, buy you a drink?" ever going to compete with red kissing every swabbie in midtown?
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at May 27, 2004 2:43 PMMr. B:
haha I figure the odds are pretty good that there will be a depraved hottie in the bunch, as long as I kiss many of them.
No need to go to Queens.
Posted by: red at May 27, 2004 2:45 PMMmmmmm...depravity. ;-) Shame I'm not in NYC right now, as I'm equally sure there must be a few depraved hotties among the female sailors as well. Damn, do I ever love women in uniform.
Posted by: Dave J at May 27, 2004 2:51 PMLast year, during Fleet Week, I was at a bar with some friends, and it was filled with sailors - and I sent a sailor a drink - across the bar. He tipped his hat at me. It was a truly hot moment.
And yes, Dave: saw some women in uniform stalking around, too. Wish I had a camera.
I'm not going to be in town - I might cry. Kiss some for me, Sheila.
Posted by: jess at May 27, 2004 4:41 PMWe don't have a fleet week. Got to drive down to San Diego or up to San Francisco in October. Worth the drive, I'm sure.
Hey Sheila, remember: Take one for the country.
Posted by: Patrick at May 27, 2004 5:15 PMSheila dear, I have a great pic of a handsome sailor. I will send it when I get home (and you have to guess who it is) ;)
Posted by: Ken Summers at May 27, 2004 6:48 PMAh Fleet Week - my chief memory of that tradition was getting evicted from my stateroom on the O-3 level on the Kennedy by Brooke Shields. (This would have been 1986, I think.) Brooke was very nice, and the whole week was a lot of fun.
Posted by: CW at May 30, 2004 3:47 PM