No, I never met the man and I don’t really watch tennis. I think that the things that we have in common are that we are the same age, and right now we both have backaches (his while being propped up with cortisone shots to the back during his marathon run with Becker on Saturday, mine just from being a slug this weekend sleeping the wrong way on the sofa while the missus was away with her girlfriends in Philadelphia). I do admire him for his evolution from a rebel into a sports great. Sunday was his last game.
I was in the same park at the same time as the final match, but as I did not have a ticket to the U.S. Open (you can see the jumbotron from outside the stadium), I had to avail myself of the other things available at Flushing Meadow Park. Most of my time was spent at the Queens Museum of Art (if you’re fascinated with New York, the Panorama of the City is an incredible feat of architectural modeling – think Google Earth for the 20th Century). Also there is a nice exhibit of the World Fair Expos that were held at that location, as well as serving as the first headquarters of the United Nations.
I did have an Amex card, and apparently there were a number of giveaways they were sponsoring that you could get if you had one. I did snag the Metrocard giveaway; I do want to get the free CBS radio. The free pedicab ride was neat also.
Afterwards, I went to Flushing to do some grocery shopping and check out some stores. Flushing Mall has a number of wedding studio photographers; instead I went to the 99 cent Japanese store. Afterwards, I was starving, so I went to Sentosa, a transplanted Malay/Singaporian restaurant. I had the Roti Canai and Asam Laska; both wonderful and flavorful. Definately worth another visit.