Andrew J. Lederer

A girl I know was having a birthday party on a rooftop Saturday and I really wanted to go but was heavily drugged due to allergies and basically slept for about 24 hours.

However, I forced myself out of bed just after midnight only to find myself thwarted by the subway, after which, raindrops started to periodically drop out of the sky.

Things just weren't going my way.

I got to the location maybe a little past 1 and after walking a number of flights of stairs, arrived at the roof only to find that nobody was there.

But . . .

There were colored lights all around, beyond them a spectacular view of Manhattan.

There were tables and chairs, a well-stocked bar, platters of food, even an iPod charging in its charger.

I had raw veggies, a little apple tart kind of thing, some fruit, some nice cold ham.

I fixed myself a bourbon; sat at one of the tables overlooking the city.

It was magical.

Afterward, I treated myself to a slice at Smiling Pizza, one of my favorite places.

The rain was now coming down outside, yet I was dry. I felt very lucky.

But they had given me a reheated slice.

And so, the spell was broken.