you must know 3 things.

This morning I met a friend for breakfast at one of our neighborhood diners. Her name is Eva and she is 63 years my senior. I must say she is the most interesting and put together 89 year old woman I know. She's lived in our neighbored for over 65 years and is well abreast to all the changes and goings-on. She's stays active in a senior citizen's group, and vows to take me to the theater and lincoln center with the other groupies.

at 8:45 I met her at her apartment. it's been rent controlled for the past 35 years, dwarfs my studio and just may be one of the most beautiful places i've stepped into on the east side. she has the most unbelievable art hanging on her walls with ornate frames that belong in the Met. her furniture, new when purchased but antiqued now, anthroplogie would kill to have in their store. she gave me the grand tour and some OJ, before it was time to go. after walking arm and arm to the diner we chatted over coffee and this woman, so wise beyond her years, gave me bits of knowledge that i hope to hang on to.

She said you must know three things. how to be confident in yourself, to trust others and above all be secure in all that you do.

it's sounds so simply put, but those three are such huge feats to accomplish. Eva said she wouldn't be who she is without that knowledge, and i believe her.

our food came, she talked and i listened. she recounted stories of growing up in the city, the people she met, the death of her husband and neighborhood quarrels. i couldn't have learned more with a nyc east side guide book. she made me laugh until i cried describing the new "sexy book" she'd recently picked up.

as we left the diner she openly stated "we have to go to my dealer."

i was confused.

we stopped a few doors down at a bodega on 1st and as we enter I hear the cashier call out "there she is." Eva's well known in these parts. she buys her 2 scratch offs and chats with the cashier before exiting back to my arm. we've almost reach her building when she starts laughing hysterically. I look down to where she is pointing and see a pigeon had lovingly pooped on her hand. "i AM going to win! this is luck!!!" this lady, i tell you, such a character.

we could have visited all afternoon but a weekend full of my laziness has left a bursting laundry bag that rivals the size of mini cooper, and Eva will work on her bingo scratch off. she said she needs quiet to 'concentrate' on the numbers. i really hope she wins.