Paulie the Plumber
Tile falls from the wall to the bathroom floor. The head of the hammer hits the handle of the pick with a steady rhythym. An even space is needed to hang the new sink. More tile falls, breaking as it hits the floor.
During the 1980’s, Paulie was the head plumber at the Waldorf Astoria, a hotel that is one of the great symbols of affluence and elegance in NYC. He had more than 100 people working for him in the plumbing department, and was even the personal plumber for the legendary singer Frank Sinatra, who lived at the hotel for a stint.
Today, Paulie is unclogging the toilets at a slightly less reputable NYC establishment, The White House Hotel.
There is dried blood on Paulie’s hand and wrist. Either he doesn’t notice or doesn’t care. After some time, all of the tiles have been chiseled off the wall. Flipping a white plastic bucket over, Paulie sits down to take a break. He wipes the sweat from his forehead. He looks ragged and is breathing hard. For a moment, he seems to leave the world, his head in his hands, his eyes closed. He is not asleep but comatose. Tourists walking in the hallway awake him and he shifts back into work.
Paulie is a massive man. His forearms are as thick as some people’s thighs, and there is a distinct thumping sound as he walks, 350 lbs hitting the floor one foot after the next. He has a goofy comical way about him, his size making him seem out of place, a giant stuck in a society built for smaller people. On a good day, he is very friendly, greeting each person with a genuine warmth and charm.
Bending his enormous frame, Paulie lifts the gleaming white porcelain sink and presses it into the wall. After some fidgeting and remaneuvering, it finally fits. He pulls the power drill from its case and puts the final touches on the installation.
He lives on the first floor of the hotel in a double cubicle suite. The privacy here is much better than the homeless shelter he used to stay at across the street. Paulie sleeps on his side facing the wall because if he sleeps any other way he will fall off the bed.