I got a phone call yesterday while I was in a bodega on Fifth Avenue buying milk and orange juice. It wasn’t the best time to have a cell phone call but I did and it was someone named Daniel from Develop Don’t Destroy.

I thought it was Daniel Goldstein who I have spoken to once or twice. At first it sounded like him but he acted like he didn’t know me.

The Daniel on the phone was asking if I’d be willing to contribute to DDDB’s legal fund. He asked me if knew much about their eminent domain lawsuit, etc.

Because I thought it was Daniel Goldstein, this is strange. I’m a Brooklyn Blogger. I am OTBKB, for god’s sake. Of course, I know all about the lawsuit. But then, I thought, maybe he’s sharing some breaking news.

The request for money was a little odd but I figured it was some kind of emergency measure and he was reaching out to me personally to spread the word on OTBKB.

But then this Daniel had never heard of OTBKB. That seemed a little strange but I know that Daniel G. is a busy guy.

It was also strange because yesterday I featured a post about LAUGH DON’T DESTROY a comedy benefit for DDDB. Truth be told, at first, I wondered if there was mistake in the post and wondered if Daniel G. was calling to correct it. He has emailed me on occasion when there’s a mistake  in what I’ve written.

So I though it was weird that Daniel had never heard of OTBKB. I also thought it was strange that he was talking to me as if I’d never heard of the Atlantic Yards issue.

"What did you say your name was again?" I asked.

Daniel Caton," he said.

"Oh. You’re just making fundraising calls?"

"Right."

It’s always surreal when the person you’re speaking to on the phone isn’t the person you think you’re talking to. Cell phones calls are weird to begin with. I’m sure if I was sitting at my desk using a land-line it would have been clear that I was speaking to a Daniel Caton not a Daniel Goldstein. 

Daniel was super friendly and super informative. I just thought I was talking to Daniel Goldstein who sort of knows me.

Cell phone calls can happen anywhere. In the middle of the street. In a bodega. In the bathroom. They make for some strange communications.

Shabnam later called to thank me for the offer I made to Daniel to post about DDDB’s critical need for funds for their legal funds. They are asking people to send what they can ($100-300 was suggested by Daniel C.) Go to the make a donation page of Develop Don’t Destroy website.

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