New Adventures at Work

A few weeks ago at work, I was asked by my supervisor to go and buy ice cream sandwiches for one of the P.R. coordinators birthdays. He gave me petty cash, and said I should go to this new place that opened called Smush near Bryant Park. Although an odd assignment, I was excited to walk through the city and to check out a new place.

I was in love with Smush when I walked in. It was a modern ice cream shop with amazing street art on the walls. There was only one guy working behind the counter, but the shop was empty aside from one homeless man standing in the corner who wanted some ice cream. I asked the guy working there who did the art for the shop, and he told me it was a local artist in New York who is friends with one of his co-workers. My boss had asked me to get an assortment, so I asked him to just make me fifty dollars worth of their most popular ice cream sandwiches, which he found amusing. Once he began to work, I realized these ice cream sandwiches were borderline on an art form. He began with a cookie that is shaped like a slice of short bread. Next came a hefty square of ice cream, of course in a variety of flavors and colors. On top of the ice cream came thin swirled slices of fudge, layers of various toppings and drizzles, followed by another cookie to complete the sandwich. He sliced them diagonally like a grilled cheese. I was so fascinated with the sandwich making process I did not even notice the homeless man had began taking a few steps closer to me. I came out of my daze and went to the other side of the register away from him. He got the hint, and left. The sandwich man found this entertaining and we talked about the unfortunate homeless population in Manhattan.

I left the store forty-six dollars, thirty minutes, and 7 ice cream sandwich’s later. I definitely planned on coming back to Smush after work one day. My supervisor was thrilled with the cookies. The only unfortunate part of the experience was that I was unable to try any of them, as I had to leave early in the day to get back for class. Hopefully I will get to stop in again and try those amazing sandwich masterpieces myself.