1. The owner of the large bodega/grocery store/deli on the end of my street noticed me searching my wallet for enough cash to pay for my paper, milk, cereal and bread (I hate carrying cash - and my bank isn't close to home.) The owner said, "It's ok - you can just pay me next time." What? Really? I can start a tab at the bodega! I found the money I needed, but still thought it was totally cool that I'm now a regular he trusts to pay him next time. At the deli, I think I'm going to start ordering 'the usual' just to see if he gets it right (Honey Maple Turkey with mayo mustard and lettuce on a roll.)
2. You know how at the laundromat, when you drop off your clothes on the scale, the girl always asks you your last four digits of your phone number so they can pull up your record? Well, the laundromat girl has now memorized my number. And seriously, there are about 4 different girls who I've seen in the past month. I haven't seen this girl in weeks ... I wonder how long she's known my number? (As a sidenote, to all of those reading who don't live in NYC - there's this wonderful convenience we have in NYC . You can drop off your laundry at your local laundromat and have your clothes washed and folded for you. They'll even deliver your perfectly cube shaped bag of laundry to your door if you so desire. When I first moved to New York, I said that I would never pay someone to do my laundry when I could just as easily do it myself. Well, times have changed. For a mere $16, my 2 weeks worth of laundry can be perfectly folded for me by the next day. Between separating into two machines and dryers, I'd probably spend about $10 doing it myself. So it's definitely worth $6 for me to save that time I'd be otherwise sitting at the laundromat.)
