This is what happens when your passport expires even one day, or in my case 20 days before a trip. Karen discovered this lapse the night before our trip to Hong Kong. I pouted and immediately had thoughts of abandoning all hope. Karen, the bull, got online and found a solution to the problem.

By the time we finished all the arrangements it was 11 pm. So, we got up a 4 am to drive down to NYC. Mighty few people on the Taconic at that hour.

I spent the day in Manhattan starting at 7:15 am here at Rush Passport, a very efficient though also very expensive service. Lightened of $520 ($350 for the service and $170 for the State Dept.) we left Manhattan.

Karen and I then had breakfast at a diner in Bayonne NJ before dropping her at Newark Airport. She went ahead to Hong Kong.

I went to Harlem and had a nap at Andrea’s house. No one there but the cat. An hour’s snooze and I was off to one of my regular stops whenever I can at the 42nd St. library. this always includes a visit to the Reading Room on the top floor.

By 5 pm I had my new passport. I will leave for Hong Kong on Monday.

I tried hard to think up a scenario to blame Karen or anyone beside me for this gaff. But I have so far failed.