| It all started last year during the fall. I had left my | | | | It all started last year during the fall. I had left my |
| parents' apartment on the upper west side of | | | | parents' apartment on the upper west side of |
| Central Park to go to the Metropolitan Opera | | | | Central Park to go to the Metropolitan Opera |
| when I saw the leaves on the trees turning color, | | | | when I saw the leaves on the trees turning color, |
| all those leaves which had once been green were | | | | all those leaves which had once been green were |
| now drying up and showing themselves in a | | | | now drying up and showing themselves in a |
| variety of colors. Brown, yellow, orange and red | | | | variety of colors. Brown, yellow, orange and red |
| were the colors that served as a flag for this | | | | were the colors that served as a flag for this |
| time of year. My senses also made me aware of | | | | time of year. My senses also made me aware of |
| a freshness in the air that had not been there for | | | | a freshness in the air that had not been there for |
| sometime. | | | | sometime. |
| All these were signs that summer had come to | | | | All these were signs that summer had come to |
| an end and that the fall had gotten off to its | | | | an end and that the fall had gotten off to its |
| glorious start. I can honestly state that this time | | | | glorious start. I can honestly state that this time |
| of year is my favorite and as I looked around I | | | | of year is my favorite and as I looked around I |
| could see why I had always considered this time | | | | could see why I had always considered this time |
| of year which we Americans call the fall to be so | | | | of year which we Americans call the fall to be so |
| energizing. Fall's crisp air had brought about a | | | | energizing. Fall's crisp air had brought about a |
| sharp contrast to summer's stifling heat and | | | | sharp contrast to summer's stifling heat and |
| humidity, the coming of fall had cooled the air and | | | | humidity, the coming of fall had cooled the air and |
| given me back the vitality, which had been taken | | | | given me back the vitality, which had been taken |
| from me by the mentally and physically | | | | from me by the mentally and physically |
| oppressive summer. I could even feel myself | | | | oppressive summer. I could even feel myself |
| putting more steam in my step then l had done in | | | | putting more steam in my step then l had done in |
| a long time as I walked down the streets of this | | | | a long time as I walked down the streets of this |
| town which was slowly coming back to life. | | | | town which was slowly coming back to life. |
| To me fall meant first and above all the beginning | | | | To me fall meant first and above all the beginning |
| of the opera season which was of particular | | | | of the opera season which was of particular |
| importance as I am a man whose adoration of | | | | importance as I am a man whose adoration of |
| opera had guided him to become both a student | | | | opera had guided him to become both a student |
| at the New York school of Music, who just | | | | at the New York school of Music, who just |
| happened to be in his last year as well as a | | | | happened to be in his last year as well as a |
| member of the chorus at the Metropolitan Opera | | | | member of the chorus at the Metropolitan Opera |
| House, a place where on that particular evening I | | | | House, a place where on that particular evening I |
| would find myself in however not as a performer | | | | would find myself in however not as a performer |
| but as another one of the 4000 spectators | | | | but as another one of the 4000 spectators |
| viewing that evening's performance of Richard | | | | viewing that evening's performance of Richard |
| Wagner's "Gotterdammerung". | | | | Wagner's "Gotterdammerung". |
| I might add that events such as "Halloween" and | | | | I might add that events such as "Halloween" and |
| "Thanksgiving" also helped to turn the fall into | | | | "Thanksgiving" also helped to turn the fall into |
| more then just another season, it was these | | | | more then just another season, it was these |
| secular holidays that served to transform the fall | | | | secular holidays that served to transform the fall |
| into a source of joy that lasted me through out | | | | into a source of joy that lasted me through out |
| the entire year. | | | | the entire year. |
| The first of these two days on the calendar was | | | | The first of these two days on the calendar was |
| Irish in its origins and gave everyone the perfect | | | | Irish in its origins and gave everyone the perfect |
| excuse to put on a costume, making it acceptable | | | | excuse to put on a costume, making it acceptable |
| to look or just act silly. Of course there were | | | | to look or just act silly. Of course there were |
| those like my parents who always jumped at the | | | | those like my parents who always jumped at the |
| chance to take their grandchildren "trick or | | | | chance to take their grandchildren "trick or |
| treating", perhaps hoping to re-capture some of | | | | treating", perhaps hoping to re-capture some of |
| that youth which had not really left them yet but | | | | that youth which had not really left them yet but |
| had definitely faded a little. | | | | had definitely faded a little. |
| The second one of these two days on the | | | | The second one of these two days on the |
| calendar was undoubtedly the greatest "American | | | | calendar was undoubtedly the greatest "American |
| holiday", whose raison d' etre was to reunite | | | | holiday", whose raison d' etre was to reunite |
| families and remind them of the need to be | | | | families and remind them of the need to be |
| grateful not only for the things they had but for | | | | grateful not only for the things they had but for |
| having one another on this day of days which | | | | having one another on this day of days which |
| was set aside by our forefathers just for the | | | | was set aside by our forefathers just for the |
| purpose of giving thanks. | | | | purpose of giving thanks. |
| Fall also brought with it the begging of the N.F.L. | | | | Fall also brought with it the begging of the N.F.L. |
| season, the start of the European football leagues | | | | season, the start of the European football leagues |
| as well as what we New Yorkers called the most | | | | as well as what we New Yorkers called the most |
| important grand slam tournament in tennis "The | | | | important grand slam tournament in tennis "The |
| U.S. Open". I always enjoyed watching an | | | | U.S. Open". I always enjoyed watching an |
| interesting game or match of any of these sports | | | | interesting game or match of any of these sports |
| specially on Sundays. | | | | specially on Sundays. |
| The "U.S. Open" was special because it unified my | | | | The "U.S. Open" was special because it unified my |
| family as it was the only sporting event we | | | | family as it was the only sporting event we |
| attended as a family, this was due to the fact | | | | attended as a family, this was due to the fact |
| that we were given "freebies" to the matches by | | | | that we were given "freebies" to the matches by |
| my father's company which sponsored the event | | | | my father's company which sponsored the event |
| but what made all of us actually go was my sister | | | | but what made all of us actually go was my sister |
| whom we all wished to see win as she was a | | | | whom we all wished to see win as she was a |
| player on the A.T.P. tour, who baring injury would | | | | player on the A.T.P. tour, who baring injury would |
| surely be competing in this year's open. | | | | surely be competing in this year's open. |
| All these factors made me await the arrival of | | | | All these factors made me await the arrival of |
| the fall with such longing that sometimes It | | | | the fall with such longing that sometimes It |
| seemed to me that I had spent the whole year | | | | seemed to me that I had spent the whole year |
| waiting for the fall and the thrills that it and it | | | | waiting for the fall and the thrills that it and it |
| alone could provide. | | | | alone could provide. |
| With regards to the way I looked, I had never | | | | With regards to the way I looked, I had never |
| come to think of myself as being handsome, l had | | | | come to think of myself as being handsome, l had |
| always considered the matter of weather I was | | | | always considered the matter of weather I was |
| good-looking or not to be one that should be | | | | good-looking or not to be one that should be |
| decided by others. However what I will say about | | | | decided by others. However what I will say about |
| my physical appearance is that l am rather on the | | | | my physical appearance is that l am rather on the |
| tall side standing at 6 feet or 186 cm in height and | | | | tall side standing at 6 feet or 186 cm in height and |
| weighing in at what I would call a lean though not | | | | weighing in at what I would call a lean though not |
| slim 200 pounds or 90 kilos. My hair is a dark | | | | slim 200 pounds or 90 kilos. My hair is a dark |
| blonde what some might refer to as dirty blonde, | | | | blonde what some might refer to as dirty blonde, |
| my eyes are a light blue which made them look | | | | my eyes are a light blue which made them look |
| bigger then they really were, my nose refined and | | | | bigger then they really were, my nose refined and |
| small (almost a carbon copy of my mother's), my | | | | small (almost a carbon copy of my mother's), my |
| mouth being the only part of my face that l was | | | | mouth being the only part of my face that l was |
| not happy with as l thought it too wide, reminding | | | | not happy with as l thought it too wide, reminding |
| me of a frog's, however with time l did learn to | | | | me of a frog's, however with time l did learn to |
| accept its shape which was not pleasing to my | | | | accept its shape which was not pleasing to my |
| eye but did help me sing those notes that for a | | | | eye but did help me sing those notes that for a |
| smaller mouth might have been impossible or at | | | | smaller mouth might have been impossible or at |
| least this is what my mother, the singing | | | | least this is what my mother, the singing |
| instructor had told me. | | | | instructor had told me. |
| I had always taken special care in getting ready | | | | I had always taken special care in getting ready |
| to go to the opera and that day had been no | | | | to go to the opera and that day had been no |
| exception. I put on my only black tuxedo (which l | | | | exception. I put on my only black tuxedo (which l |
| had bought for operas as well as school recitals), | | | | had bought for operas as well as school recitals), |
| a white shirt, a bow tie to match my shirt and a | | | | a white shirt, a bow tie to match my shirt and a |
| pair of very well shinned black shoes. I paid | | | | pair of very well shinned black shoes. I paid |
| attention to every small detail from the way l | | | | attention to every small detail from the way l |
| combed my hair (which l always kept short) back | | | | combed my hair (which l always kept short) back |
| with hair gel to the way l tried to make my | | | | with hair gel to the way l tried to make my |
| complexion look flawless by asking and following | | | | complexion look flawless by asking and following |
| my mother's advice on how to apply base after | | | | my mother's advice on how to apply base after |
| having used pimple cream. I had even gone to the | | | | having used pimple cream. I had even gone to the |
| trouble of getting a manicure. All these were the | | | | trouble of getting a manicure. All these were the |
| steps l always took when getting ready for the | | | | steps l always took when getting ready for the |
| opera. | | | | opera. |
| After having gone through this ritual, l checked to | | | | After having gone through this ritual, l checked to |
| see that l was not forgetting to take any of the | | | | see that l was not forgetting to take any of the |
| things that l might need such as the ticket, my | | | | things that l might need such as the ticket, my |
| wallet with my credit cards as well as some cash | | | | wallet with my credit cards as well as some cash |
| should l decide to get something to eat at a place | | | | should l decide to get something to eat at a place |
| that did not honor credit cards or hail a cab home | | | | that did not honor credit cards or hail a cab home |
| but this was not really a problem as l could always | | | | but this was not really a problem as l could always |
| ask one of the doormen to lend me money to | | | | ask one of the doormen to lend me money to |
| pay for the cab ride though my mother did | | | | pay for the cab ride though my mother did |
| prefer me to refrain from doing this as this, to a | | | | prefer me to refrain from doing this as this, to a |
| certain extent was taking advantage of the | | | | certain extent was taking advantage of the |
| doormen. I also saw to it that I had turned of | | | | doormen. I also saw to it that I had turned of |
| everything that needed to be, like the air | | | | everything that needed to be, like the air |
| conditioner, stereo, my computer and the lights. | | | | conditioner, stereo, my computer and the lights. |
| I remember leaving my parent's place to go to | | | | I remember leaving my parent's place to go to |
| the first opera performance of the season at | | | | the first opera performance of the season at |
| 4:45 p.m., an hour before I had agreed to meet | | | | 4:45 p.m., an hour before I had agreed to meet |
| my friends at the main entrance to the | | | | my friends at the main entrance to the |
| Metropolitan Opera House which is located at | | | | Metropolitan Opera House which is located at |
| Lincoln Center. I left home 40 minutes earlier then | | | | Lincoln Center. I left home 40 minutes earlier then |
| I needed to in the hope of getting something to | | | | I needed to in the hope of getting something to |
| eat and that way avoid feeling hungry during the | | | | eat and that way avoid feeling hungry during the |
| opera. | | | | opera. |