“Pausing to Breathe” Kathryn Dwyer – Honorable Mention “First, let me take your temperatures, and then could you write your address down for contact tracing, please? Be sure to include your email address and cell phone number. You have reservations I assume?” said the overworked petite hostess wearing a N-95 mask, at the Ear Inn as she motioned to the battered spiral notebook. I pushed my friend, David, to write down his information since he lived in the theater district; I was just visiting for a potential job interview. Three days earlier, I had flown to New York from Arizona to visit my beloved city and had my required negative COVID-19 test results with me. I was contemplating returning to New York since my father had recently passed away, and I’d been laid off from my job in Scottsdale. On this clear, cool autumn day, David and I visited my favorite historic bar, the Ear Inn on Spring Street. The Ear Inn was established in 1817 and is considered to be one of the oldest operating drinking establishments in all of New York City. Caught in another time, with 19th century tin celling and the 18th century pine paneled wooden walls, the bar was jam-packed with sailing memorabilia, unique rusted signage, nautical artifacts, and historic photographs. Aside from the only dedicated employee acting as the sole server, manager and cook, David and I were the only people there for lunch. “Our chef will not be in until 4:00PM. We have English pasties that I can heat up with a salad for lunch.” David and I looked at each other in bewilderment. “Yes,” the server-manager-cook answered as if reading our minds, “we do have a full bar.” David had recently lost his job at the Kimberly Hotel, due to a lack of visitors. Together, we agreed a pitcher of Sam Adams sounded great. After a strangely quiet hour, we left and we walked outside onto the uneven, cobblestoned sidewalk. The expensive row of downtown hotels seemed vacant, even though Thanksgiving was only a day away. All the streets and subway stops were missing their energetic 46
Vortex
Creative Non-Fiction
