Fat Tuesday is a big party day The last day of Mardi Gras, the day before Lent begins It’s a Catholic holiday that I celebrate even though I’m not Catholic Because I used to have some Irish-Catholic friends That hosted a big Fat Tuesday party every year Until a number of years ago when they disappeared On a Tuesday (not Fat Tuesday - a different Tuesday) So now every year on Fat Tuesday in their honor I go to a bar, order an Irish whiskey and raise it to them To Tommy, Sutty, Schroeder and Emerich The firm of Harvey Young & Yurman We used to work together – right next to each other Packed into a booth with 15 or 20 other guys Like sardines we worked side by side I for my firm they for theirs Day after day year after year At a place that I loved And a job that was the pinnacle of my career Which when I finally got Was so dismayed to learn that most of the guys Had rather see me burn in hell than do well But my guys, God rest their souls, for some reason Decided to help me and they were powerful allies Their support was like an invisible arm around me An immediate alliance with the entire Irish crew which was huge Not that no one ever fuck with me Or that every day wasn’t very hard down there But without them I don’t think I would have lasted a year And every year their firm hosted the famous Fat Tuesday party My third year down there I was finally invited I was so excited when I got to the bar Wearing my favorite sexy red sweater Surveying the powerful crowd feeling pretty and proud When this jerk next to me yelled across the entire room ‘Hey Sal, check out the tits on this gal!’ I wanted to die - felt every eye in that place on me Wanted to run away bolt floor just open up and consume me Then my heroes came to the rescue as they yelled back ‘Shut your bid stupid mouth you dumb fucking Mick’ ‘What the fuck is wrong with you’ ‘Don’t you have any fucking class? Let the lady pass!’ Then they escorted me to their table and got me a drink That was it – from then on I was set I always wish they could have lived to see The culmination of events, all the fortunate things That would come my way because they helped me When I got set to leave I found them sitting at the bar And I wanted to tell them all of the things I’ve told you so far But I didn’t – all I said instead was ‘Thanks for inviting me I had a great time, happy Fat Tuesday you guys’ They said ‘Yeah sure, thanks, we’ll do it again next year – get home safe’ But we didn’t do it again next year because later that year On a beautiful bright warm September Tuesday morning I came into work and as usual they were not there Because every single Tuesday morning The firm of Harvey Young & Yurman had a breakfast meeting At Windows of the World So I worked another, I don’t know, 10, 15 minutes or so Till I heard that guy scream, ‘Holy Shit!’ The first plane had hit and all I can remember is I could not remember which tower the restaurants were in I made my way to the nearest set of screens Joined the crowd’s edge standing there stunned In dumb silence watching all those TVs Until not just one guy but everyone in unified disbelief screamed, ‘Holy Shit!’ The second plane hit Then it didn’t matter anymore which tower the restaurants were in That was a terrible Tuesday But Fat Tuesday is a happy, celebratory day A day when, wherever I am, I will find a place And perform my little ritual Whiskey in hand, glass raised to them I will say, ‘To the firm of Harvey Young & Yurman Tommy and Sutty and Shcroeder and Emerich Thanks for inviting me I had a great time I miss you guys Happy Fat Tuesday!’