New York Mayor Treated British Prime Minister with a $2 Hot Dog
Posted Sun, Jul 25, 2010 by Francis Salenga
The Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg treated the British Prime Minister David Cameron with a ‘welcome to NYC’ lunch the minister would never forget for the rest of his life: a $2 hot dog on a sidewalk near Penn Station.
Prime Minister David Cameron, after arrived at Penn Station from Washington, D.C, told Mayor Michael Bloomberg about his finance situation. He had no cash with him at that time, you see. So the mayor acted as a warm, lovingly host. He treated the special guest on his first official visit to the Big Apple a sidewalk hot dog, of course.
The mayor reportedly had his hot dog with mustard, while the prime minister had his in plain. The two gentlemen then ate over a friendly conversation on Eighth Avenue, surrounded by Secret Service. Refused to answer the press’ questions, both of them seemed to get along well, talking and laughing and eating their hot dogs.
Cameron shared his thoughts over one thing only to the press: his first taste on the Big Apple. “Very good! Fantastic hot dog. Lovely,” the prime minister said, raising up his thumbs.
Cameron visited New York to meet U.S. business leaders, talking about trading and investment prospects between the two countries. He was also scheduled to have a meet-up with the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon by the end of the 2-day visit. But unlike the British Queen, who was greeted by a parade during her visit to New York earlier this month, Cameron was greeted by a small number of people. Many New Yorkers who were near the venue at that time apparently did not know who Cameron was.
“I thought it was Gordon Brown,” Laurie Christiansian said, referring to Britain’s ousted former leader.
Denise Wong even mistook Cameron for a Hollywood movie director. “David Cameron?! From Avatar?!” she shouted, her eyes filled with excitement. When she found out Cameron was a British politician, her excitement vanished and she quickly walked off the venue.
But such ignorance would not be the case with the hot dog vendor Abdus Salam, from which Bloomberg and Cameron got their hot dogs. The Bangladesh-born admitted he was so proud that he had sold hot dogs to those two world leaders. Surely they were the most famous customers he has ever had in 17 years. “I feel very good! The prime minister, he talked to me, he shook my hand,” Salam said enthusiastically.
Refused to tell the press how much the billionaire mayor tipped him for the $4 hot dogs, the 41-year-old admitted he had never had bigger tip than the one from Bloomberg. “No comment,” he kept refusing to state the amount, but smiled widely for sure.
- Login to post comments
