I was having a pretty lousy day in New York City when I was visiting some friends. It was gloomy and cold, but also I was sad about something unrelated. I decided to go down to my favorite coffee shop in the lower Eastside. One of their specialties is the Olive oil cake loaf. I had never had one from them, so I decided that that would be the day I would. But when I got there, I ordered my latte and the loaf but unfortunately they were out.

I stepped outside, drinking my coffee, and just being glum when I see a lady - this lady is wearing a forest green fur coat, a matching pillbox hat with gold buttons on it and donning a Marlo Thomas silver hairdo. Very stereotypical, older, pretty sophisticated, New York, woman stereotype.

I struck up a conversation with her because she was eating one of the loaves. She mentioned how delicious it was and I told her that I would be coming back tomorrow to finally try it.

She reached into her Hermès bag (again, stereotypically sophisticated) and took out another loaf. She had bought the last two, one for a friend who seemed to have stood her up. She said that I would love it and to cheer up and enjoy the city, and that everything would be OK.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget that woman as long as I live.