Yesterday a great deal was made of the inauguration of Zohran Mamadani as the new Mayor of New York City. I follow it with great interest as I recently lived for a quarter of century in that great city. During my time there I had just one opportunity to attend an inaugurations of a New York City mayor.

It was 2002 when I was Managing Director of the New York State Theater in Lincoln Center. That facility was funded by the city government and so I was invited to the swearing in of Michael Bloomberg on a cold, cold day in front of City Hall. It was a nice but brief ceremony, kept Spartan so soon after the 9/11 attacks. I didn’t have the chance to meet Mayor Mike but it was a cool experience.

I did get the chance to chat with him briefly at an official reception two years later and an official photo was taken for the occasion. Here is the shot followed by a couple of observations.

First, note that I am quite the chubby boy (after just six years into eating well in NYC). Note, that I am still chubby, but not quite that fluffy. Second, note the expanding forehead and reducing hairline. It was only a few years after this time that I shaved my head so that I would not be tempted to disguise the expanse with a combover (see Giuliani).