Thursday, August 01, 2013

Red Sauce and Sanctuary

 


Dear Readers,
Carmine's Restaurant of New York City is opening in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The news made me glad, even though I've only eaten at Carmine's once. Portions were gigantic and the lasagna and pizza were great, but that wasn't the point.
I ate at Carmine's a week after September 11th.
I've always been a nervous flier, so I took the train across the country with my friend Lynda Sandoval --fellow writer and former cop. We were there to see the cover of the very first PHANTOM STALLION book, but we saw a lot more.
The cover was beautiful, but the City felt sad and tense until we got to Carmine's.
Lynda got a recommendation for the place from an officer patrolling the streets.
Rumor was that Carmine's fed emergency workers for free, so we supported the restaurant with our tourist dollars.
Tables around us were packed with firefighters, police officers and EMTs from all over the country and no one looked grim. Elbows on tables didn't look casual. They supported cheeks that needed soap and water, heads that might have plummeted from sheer weariness into plates of spaghetti.  But there was quiet laughter and there were smiles.
They'd seen horrors and knew they'd see more, but they could help. Helping others helped them. You could see and feel the frail satisfaction. 
Carmine's Restaurant is opening in Las Vegas. I'll go there the first chance I have and try not to cry.

Labels: Carmine's, Lynda Sandoval, New York, phantom stallion, September 11

Permalink to this blog post

Posted by Terri Farley @ 11:27 PM

---

Comments: Post a Comment