“You know the oil is right when the three
kernels you have in there all pop. Then you add
the rest of the kernels and you get perfect popcorn
every time.” Marc said. I had learned the same
way that his grandmother had showed him. We
did it together in his sweltering kitchen. He loved
the smell. I would later find out that Manhattan is
1
redolent with food aromas. There are chestnut
vendors, sugary peanut vendors, hotdog vendors,
bakeries, pizzerias, and endless restaurant scents. I
moved to New York after years of only knowing it
through stories. I searched for a popcorn stand.
Marc said that when he worked