First One

[P5se Camelback]

When I was going to design school and living in Center City Philly, for exercise I used to take my 10-speed for a ten or fifteen mile ride around the city streets almost every night. I often stopped for a cheesesteak and a Coke towards the end of my ride. I'd tried both Pat's and Geno's (they are kitty-corner across the street from each other) and I preferred Pat's over Geno's (and that's always a heated debate in Philly!)

Pat's Steaks at South 9th St. and Passyunk Ave., southwest corner ... (Passyunk is the diagonal one on the right in both "fo-toes.")



... And Geno's, right across the street, northeast corner ...



So ... this one night in July, it's about 11:30 PM when I pull up in front of Pat's on my bright yellow 10-speed. The line is long, maybe 20 people or more in front of me ( the line goes all the way to the corner (see photo, the guy in the green shirt is ordering.) I get in line, I've been riding since 6:30, my legs are getting tired and I'm hungry, and my apartment is still about 17 blocks up 9th St. All of a sudden this big black Caddy limo pulls up to the curb, I turned to look (oh, Caddy limo ... don't stare ... this is South Philly, it's not healthy to stare at anything down here!) I turn back to watch the slowly moving line. I notice that as the line moves forward, so does the Caddy (it's "No Parking" right there ...) and the guy who got out of the Caddy, now standing behind me says, "Jesus! Busy tonight!" I said,"Yeah," turning as I spoke ... I tried not to show my surprize and shock! It was the "Chairman of the Board, " Frank Sinatra, standing in line, just like anybody else. That's another thing ... This is South Philly! I don't care who you are - you don't cut in line in South Philly!

But, yeah ... I prefer Pat's over Geno's.