The Best Italian Sub I've Ever Had

Throughout my last semester in college, I had a lot of energy and momentum headed in the direction of New York City. Knowing myself that I would never make the conscious decision to ever move to a city on a whim, I used that momentum to it's fullest extent and found my first apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn less than a month after graduation.

It was a pretty terrible apartment, with some pretty amazing craigslist roommates, so I couldn't complain. I had my spot on the floor where I put my sleeping bag, and next to that sat my computer. At my head sat a tower of boxes with all of my stuff. In my 5 months there, I only once ever woke up from a cockroach crawling on me inside of said sleeping bag.

Like I said, not to bad for a first NYC apartment.

It was about 3 months after my first night that I landed my first unpaid internship. It was at a place near Times Square called Aethur Services. If there is one thing I can say about my time in NYC, it's that I've had luck on my side (spoiler alert, this may or may not be some ironic foreshadowing). I've had a few terrible gigs, but I've never in all my time had a terrible long term job. Quite the opposite. I have only mountains of positive things to say about any place I've worked in NYC long term, and I'm just so grateful to all of my current and former coworkers for that.

But this place in particular was my first great experience, albeit unpaid. The amount of stuff I learned there in 3 months far surpassed what I learned in four years of undergraduate school (and before people start knocking undergrad, that's kinda how it's supposed to be. You get the foundation from undergrad so you have the resources and abilities to pursue whatever specialty you desire). But I learned a ton and they helped me find work. In fact, this first long term job led to my following 2 long term paid jobs. It's the job that started it all.

So kinda like Star Wars Episode One, except it didn't suck.

Dammit, Lucas... You just... you used to be so good! You brought us the best filmmaking in years and then you brought us C-span.

I digress.

My point is, I did get a stipend every day for lunch. $7.00 every day I decided to work. That was $7.00 more than I was getting on days I sat on a floor playing video games, so I worked pretty often. It was a very fun job. Most days I went to Subway. But then one day I got an angry face from someone at work asking why I goto Subway when I have all of these other options in the heart of NYC.

"I like to eat fresh."

He looked at me, a bit stunned, but quickly recovered. He said, "Go downstairs to the corner stor and get an italian hero there."

"Hero?"

"That's what they're called. You aren't in Cow Country anymore."

"I usually just call them hogies or submarine sandwiches."

"No. Ask for a hero or you're look like a dumbass."

Well wouldn't you know, he was right. I went downstairs and looked at the menu above their deli, and right there in black and white they gave you the option of a "roll" or "hero." It seemed a bit odd to be, but I was new to this town and everything seemed a bit odd to me. So I rolled with it by asking for a hero.

An Italian Hero.

Oh.

My.

God.

Well I'll be damned if that wasn't the tastiest italian sandwich I've ever had. I got them very often after that. They cost $7.25 so I had to bring a quarter to work, but I was down with that.

I bring this up because I haven't been eating much recently, but tonight all I wanted was an italian hero from that corner store. I described exactly how it was made, and my mom ran out to subway for me. It wasn't exactly the same, not by a long shot, but man it was close enough and I woofed it down like a guy who hasn't been eating much recently.

Unfortunately, my stomach is small because of all of this, so I only had half a 6 inch, but it was exactly what I needed.

When I get back to NYC, the first thing I'm doing I plan on trying to get over there at some point and purchasing another one of their amazing subs.

For you NYC folk, the store in question is on 43rd and 8th, on the NW corner. They have flowers they sell along 43rd. Tell them Bulwyf sent you. You'll get a special price of $7.25, and it will be the best italian hero you've ever had.