Friday, 05 November 2004 | Absorbent

The distance between the Flatiron district and Soho is small, but a frustrating small. The two are far enough from each other (a 20-minute walk) that you can't walk there in steady rain without soaking up a substantial amount of water. So instead you wait (with determination!) on the corner of 19th and 6th for a cab—without an umbrella and with your hand in the air at a 2:00 angle—for exactly the same amount of time it would've taken you to simply walk to Soho. A constant river of yellow steel passes by you, but all of the taxis are full, or worse, cruelly displaying their "off duty" light.

You give up and head to Union Square, where you take the wrong subway line (though it goes roughly the right place). You emerge to be pelted with more malicious water from the sky, water from someone else's umbrella, and water from a puddle that jumps at you by way of an SUV tire. You walk the wrong direction—twice—but it no longer matters, as your hair and clothing won't absorb anything more.

At the door of the restaurant (feeling better, with sympathy), you lean against the building and wring out your socks, creating small waterfalls tinted with black dye.