Ess-A-Bagel

In New York the other day M and I decided to grab breakfast at Ess-A-Bagel, around the corner from our hotel. I have very weird memories of Ess-A-Bagel from last time I was in NYC: I remember inconceivably rude service, but surely that was simply the product of unfamiliarity with their system and the New York way of doing things.

No - they are actually inconceivably rude and disinterested in their customers.

M went first - the Eastern European guy behind the counter asked what she wanted, then turned away and started talking to other staff and/or doing something else. Repeatedly. He would ask what she wanted and then not listen to her response and then tell her he hadn't been listening and could she tell him again. Just totally f***king with her.

He then decided M was Irish, and proceeded to tell us (mostly me) a story about how his first wife was Irish, and they had divorced after about 5 years. He assured us he was not a violent man, but that despite that his first wife had made him so angry he had wanted to smash her head repeatedly against the floor. He paused to ensure we understood and sympathised with how unreasonable her behaviour had been to make him so angry. Once reassured, he continued that before they divorced they went to a nice hotel for a "special night"at which they'd had a really good time, then had agreed they should separate.

My bagel was awesome - an onion bagel with eggs, onion and lox.