Lush life

It's 2003, and after eight years downtown, Eric Cash is falling further and further behind in his plans to become an actor. Or a writer. Or a restaurateur. To become anything but what he is--the oldest employee at Café Berkmann. So if the new bartender pissed him off, who could blame him? Ike Marcus had confidence. He had hustle. Most of all, in a neighborhood where thirty is the new fifty, Ike was young. Then one evening a street kid from the "other" Lower East Side stepped up to them and pulled a gun. Ike's last words were "Not tonight, my man." At least, that's Eric's version.