On The Street Where You Live

Malcolm Harris and Nina Clemente from Paper Magazine

Have you ever missed a friend so much that it physically hurts??? Well this is how I am actually feeling today about my dear friend Nina...

Tyson, Nina and Malcolm

Today, was one of those days when my boyfriend and I decided we would have a beautiful brunch at home and then head downtown for a bit of window shopping. Therefore we hurried through brunch, quickly dressed and headed for the subway. As soon as we came out of the train at West 4th Street in Greenwhich Village, I could feel my feet wanting to take their old summer path straight to Nina's house which is only a few blocks away from the station. I almost felt like the guy from "My Fair Lady" - the one that sings the corniest song in the world "On The Street Where You Live"... Before, I could say a single word about how I was feeling I heard my boyfriend say "Remember when Nina..." Just from the tone of his voice, for the first time I realized that we had all shared a weird sort of platonic threesome this summer - and he was also - missing our dear Nina as much as I...

My Fair Lady "On The Street Where You Live"

No matter how fast and far we walked today, I just couldn't stop wondering if she was okay? How was her day going? Was she taking care of herself? Was she taking enough time to enjoy herself? You see Nina is very much like me - we don't know when to stop working and striving. It was all that I could do not to immediately start dialing her number, but I knew I would have that weird "come back to New York voice" - - - You have to be a New Yorker that has attempted to moved away to understand the voice of which I speak. But for most New Yorkers, we occasionally believe it is possible to move away from New York and never return... It's this thing that just happens - New York just seems finished for us, and we just have to escape. But once find the courage to make the move and are in the midst of trying to stay away for as long as possible, there is always that friend which severely misses you. A friend that misses you so much until everytime you speak with them they have that all to familiar "come back to New York voice"... This friend either tries to tease you into coming back by telling you all the wonderful things you are missing or they try to guilt you back by telling you how much they miss and need you... So I really didn't want to be that dude with the voice, so I decided I wouldn't call Nina today - I would go cold turkey... I would tough it out... But, oh my God was it difficult...

Lauren Hutton and prankster, Nina

I must admit there are two things that give me great solace when I think of what's going on with my Nina these days... I know that her God Mother the venerable, Lauren Hutton, is looking out for her and making sure our Nina is okay... But most importantly, I know that our dear friend and inspiration Keith Haring is up above watching out for the both of us.

Keith Haring and Little Nina