A roommate/pal/bud/mate from college and I lived together in
New York City for a couple of years after graduating. We lived in
Chelsea, on 26th street; two of our best friends shared an apartment on 10th street. Since there are more fun bars near
Sheridan Square than on Park Avenue South and 26th, we would often find ourselves
stumbling home up 5th Avenue towards
Madison Square Park in the wee hours. Frequently, one of us would mumble to the other, "what'sh the time is it?"
The Empire State Building is visible ahead for that whole walk north, and they turned off the impressive light display on the top at midnight. It looked rather cool, actually, dark building with a ring of mercury lights around the base of the TV antenna. In any case, the other would always peer drunkenly uptown and then reply, "Oh, no. It'sh after midnight."
To this day, when it's late..."What time is it?"
"It's after midnight."
"Oh dear."