On Long Island and Political Surprises

Normally on Thursday nights I go out, often to Eleanor's in Bohemia, where my friend sings.   Sometimes to Kismet where another friend's band plays, or out to Patchogue, usually the Off-Key Tikki.

But yesterday I had a late appointment with my dermatologist and ended up having something on my nose, a likely basal cell skin cancer, removed for biopsy.  So I had a big red mark on my nose.  It's also been a really tough week so I was tired.  But I needed a drink.

So my roommate and I decided to go to Karvers in Holbrook for a light dinner and drinks.  As usual, there was a long wait there.  It's a great place, but always packed.  So we walked to the other end of the parking lot and went to a place I usually avoid; Carlo's Pizza.

They put in a restaurant next to the pizzeria about 10 years ago, and their food is truly fantastic.   But the owner is such a Trumpster, and I got tired of FOX news being on when I went there for pizzas.  So I found another pizza place.  

Anyway, my friend and I got a table by the bar.  I started drinking Maker's Old Fashions which they do a great job with there.  Carlo's gives you a huge amount of food so we split an entrée of Pasta Elbano.  You really have to try this if you ever go there.  We upgraded to their fresh fusilli, and it has black olives, artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, it's just delicious.   Even splitting it neither of us could finish our dinner.

I was on my 3rd and final old fashioned when my friend looked over at the bar and said "oh, there's your favorite boy."

I looked up and there was Fucker Carlson on the televison.  And this older white man sitting at the bar turned around to look at me.

I yelled at my friend, wtf are you doing?  You got this old Trumpster drooling over me, he's like, oh yeah, a Tucker gal.

I mean, I assumed, because one, he was white, two, he was of a certain age, and three,  he was sitting at the bar in Carlo's which is known to be a Trumpster hive.  I went there once when Trump was still President and I said something to the bartender about FOX being on , and she shook her head.   

"I can tell the owner, if I tell him a customer requested I shut it, he will let me."

I laughed.

I nodded to the 3 bleach blonde, overly-made up 50-something women down the bar and said "this looks like a big Trump hangout".

"Oh yeah, I call them the Trumpettes" she replied. 

I never forgot her, and she was actually working last night.

About ten minutes after the Tucker Carlson thing, the guy who had turned around to look at me was talking very loudly.  So I tuned in.  He was actually fighting with two other white dudes at the bar, and it was about Trump.

"That mushroom dick".

My ears perked up.

This older white guy proceeded to go on a profane rant against trump, even calling him the "biggest piece of shit in the world."

He said he was retired from the real estate industry and had watched Trump for many years, and he's a thief.  He put a lot of small businesses under by not paying his bills.  I mean, I knew this, but what has always amazed me is that white men on Long Island, many of whom are small business owners themselves, never mention it.  Never.  And they worship this fraud.

It got so good, I got up from my table, walked over, put money down on the bar, and told the bartender "I want to buy this man a drink."

This cracked everyone up, but I was serious, and I did buy him a drink.  And we talked a bit.  His name is Pete and he's Italian.  Half my family is Italian and other than my mom, they are all Trumpsters.

I mean, this got more and more amazing.  He even talked about white supremacy and said to me "it's all white supremacy, that's what this all is."

I want to set Pete up with my mother, but he's married, because when I asked if he ever got into trouble talking like this around here he answered "only from my wife for talking to women who look like you".  I laughed.

But he got serious and said, yeah, all the time.  And he came to blows with another man right at the bar in Carlo's.  He said the guy was thrown out, not because of Pete, but because of "another issue."

"They all seem to have a lot of issues," I mentioned.  He agreed.

Anyway, every once in a while human beings surprise, and I do profile white men, I freely admit that.  So last night, I got the surprise of my life at Carlo's Pizza Oven of Holbrook.

It keeps life interesting.  And fun. 

If you are ever there, see if Pete's at the bar in the back.  And order the Pasta Elbano.  You won't be sorry for either.