Mayor Hotdog

I went to Coney Island to talk with locals about their thoughts on city council representative, Domenic Reccia, and the future of their garish neighborhood. What I discovered was little to no opinion on Councilman Reccia’s comings and goings.
“Well what about that mayor guy? What’s his deal?” I asked a man who requested to be kept anonymous (but who might work at the Coney Island Museum, swallow swords, and adore classic lounge enough to say so while the Sinatra blares over the loudspeaker).
“You mean Dick Zigun. Are you recording this?” the tall man with a soul patch looked down at my mini tape recorder resting over my notepad.
“No.” I said. After insuring his protection, he continued:
“Dick Zigun runs the museum, the mermaid parade, the freak show, and is basically the area’s spokesperson for all things amusement. We call him the ‘mayor’ because he’s one of the loudest voices in defending the history and personality of Coney.”
“What kind of opposition does he face from official government personalities,” I said hoping to steer the conversation back to Councilman Reccia.
“Well as you might know,” Soulpatch replied, “Coney’s biggest opposition comes from Thor Equities. Did you come by train today?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see that view?” referring to the blue beach hued by the faint carnival colors of antique rides made haunting in the fatigued metal of reveries past, “It’s gorgeous! Thor Equities wants to wall up that view with high rise condos and strip malls. That’s not what this area needs; I don’t care about their ‘economic strategies.’ This is the birthplace of the hot dog. THE HOT DOG!”

Soulpatch’s passion for the hot dog made me think of a bit of trivia connected to the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest. One of the contest’s leading challengers, a competitive eater from Japan, Takeru Kobayashi (winner from 2001 to 2006), is unable train in Japan using actual hot dogs. For whatever reason, Japan doesn’t receive Nathan’s hot dogs from the US. According to the MTV documentary, True Life: I’m a Competitive Eater, the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest is like the Super bowl for Kobayashi, who trains like any other athlete in preparation for the big day. Soulpatch probably knew all of this already, but I was inspired to see the hot dog as a quirky cultural locus that for Kobayashi had become an obscure source of dignity and dedication. I was beginning to feel hungry for the chili dog I had just eaten before conducting my interview.
A few minutes later the polar bears arrived at Soulpatch’s possible place of work.
“Well you have lots of people to talk to now,” he said as he poured tea and coffee for the brisk bunch of winter swimmers. I said, “Yes,” and walked to the arcade two blocks down. I played Metal Slug 2 and died on the second level. I played Crusin’ Exotica and raced my station wagon through Tokyo without completing the circuit for the first time. There was only so much time on the Q train on my way back to Manhattan. I disappeared my head into my hood thinking of when I might come back, daydreaming about the things that go on inside The Shore.