Wednesday
OCTOBER 4. 2006


I have a friend who enjoys New York. I attended a live broadcast of "The View" with her back in the spring, so when she had tickets again for "The View" and invited me and another friend along, I accepted enthusiastically.

Now this is not just a matter of showing up with your ticket and taking your seat. The tickets are free, and they distribute more than they have seats for. You are required to show up early, and they only admit as many as they can seat. If you are shut out, you receive VIP tickets for an upcoming show, which guarantees you will be admitted if you show up by 10:15 (for the 11am broadcast).

We boarded the 6:56 express train for New York, but a stalled train on the tracks delayed us more than thirty minutes. We had to change trains to get to New York, but we didn't get there 'til almost nine (they begin admiting people at 9:15). We got a cab (with a women cabbie) and explained our situation, and she veered through the NY streets and got us there at 9:13. She received our undying thanks (and a 100% tip!).

Of course we were nowhere near the front of the line, and we were still 10 away when they stopped admitting people. But this was just until 10:15, while they waited for the holders of VIP tickets to arrive. At 10:15, they began admitting folks again to fill the seats of the VIP no-shows. We were the last to get in. But they miscounted - there were no seats for us. But they rounded up a folding chair, and an office chair, while our third member sat on a ledge. We were behind the last row, nestled among the sound crew. But they weren't bad seats, and they apologized for the inconvenience, and they gave us VIP tickets for an upcoming show!

A different but fun kinda day in New York.