SIX HUNDRED SIXTY SIX

A few weeks ago I went into Walgreens to get a cold drink. While there, I saw the tropical mix was on sale for only $1.99 for a 12 oz bag, so I purchase two bags. The total, included tax, came to be $6.66. The cashier had a funny look on his face when he told me how much the total was. He then proceeded to say, "Wow, it is scary." I responded, "It must be my lucky day."

There is a house in my neighborhood with an address 666 and the people who are living in this house are parishioners of my church (I found out from the church directory). In modern western culture, particularly Christian belief, the number 666 is a symbol for Satan or the Devil. In contemporary Western art or literature, the number 666 is referenced as the sign of the Beast or satanic associations. Perhaps one day I would find a way to ask these people why they don't mind living at this address or maybe because they don't believe in the meanings attached to the number 666.

In the movie "The Omen" (I only saw the original 1976 version), the character Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) saw the proof that his son Damien true identity as an offspring of Satan after seeing the "666" birthmark on Damien's scalp. There are other movies in this series as well as others with similar theme of "demonic child" such as Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist (I never saw this movie in its entirety because I did not want to get nightmares).

There is a building in New York City, 666 Fifth Avenue and it is considered a trophy building because it is located on Fifth Avenue, across from Rockfeller Center. It is a 41-story office building between 52nd and 53rd streets. I read in Wikipedia that the Tishman family built this 41-story office building in 1957, sold it for 80 million in 1976, then in 2000, the price tag stood at $518 million as purchased price. It was sold again in 2006 for $1.8 billion. Since 2006, Citigroup logo has replaced the prominent 666 address on the side of the building.


From mid-1983 to late 1984, I worked for an insurance agency in an office building at the corner of 53rd and 5th Avenue. It was a full time job and I worked in premium collection department. I was finishing up my Associate degree at LaGuardia Community College when I started working there and transferred to Hunter College in the Fall of 1984. Looking back, I really had a good memory working at the agency. Most of the people were nice to me and I kept to myself. I did not have much opinions about anything, being a good employee and quietly doing my homework during lunch.

I used to take my lunch to Rockefeller Center, eating my sandwich while watching people going by. The library was just around the corner and across the library was the Museum of Modern Art. I believe the Museum is still at the same location, I am not sure about the library. My concentration used to be much better. I could do my homework no matter how noisy the surrounding was or in a crowded room where people were talking about different subjects. I also loved going to St. Patrick's Catheral. I was drawn to the Christian faith even though I was not baptised or confirmed or did not know anything about the religion. I sat in a pew, quietly praying or simply resting my body and soul.

There were many young agents in the agency. There was one person, let's call him Jeff Greenberg, who asked me whether I would like to go out with him. He asked me where I would like to go. I suggested meeting at a museum and to McDonald for lunch. He laughed and said that no woman ever suggested such thing. (He was too polite to say that I was a cheap date or too naive to demand a fancy dinner.) He agreed to meet at the Museum of Modern Art on Saturday afternoon. We walked around town and he finally told me where we would be going for dinner. He took me to the Top of the Sixes Restaurant.

The Restaurant was a penthouse of the building, 666 Fifth Avenue. I remembered we were seated at a table by the window, but I don't remember much about the view. I do remember the impressive menu. The cover was made of an inch thick black particle board, approximately 4 inches wide and 17 inches in length. Inside were the menu in cardstock cream color. On the left was the appetizers, soup and side dishes. On the right was the main entrees. I don't remember the price for each items, maybe I ordered a cup of soup and a well-done sirloin steak. I did not drink any wine and asked for a club soda instead. I don't remember what JG ordered or what we talked about the whole dinner. It must not be very special as that was the only time JG ever asked me out on a date. We saw each other often but it was all business. It could be because after dinner, I told JG that I would like to go home instead of go dancing at a club he suggested. I shook his hand, thanked him for dinner and took the subway home!

This entry is a long story of my only dinner at the Top of the Sixes Restaurant. In 1998, the Restaurant was replaced with a private club/cigar bar called the Grand Havana Room.