Neither more nor less

Early Tuesday morning Jimmy was out front of Ray's candy store removing some of the lighted signs above Ray's front windows . Jimmy was making space available up front for some new air conditioners that Ray wanted to install above his front window .These air conditioners would take the place of the older inefficient units that he has been using for the last 15 years .From Jimmy , who is himself short on cash these days , there would be no bill . Jimmy was , like so many others , just helping out .

Inside Ray's early this Tuesday morning a tall man with a shaved head was eating ice cream . The more than slightly inebriated man handed Ray a $20 bill and asked how much . Ray started to give his customer change but the man protested , "no that's for you . How much do I owe you?" . Ray took the tip and then took payment for the ice cream and gave the guy his change .

The Daily News delivery man walked in with a stack of newspapers . Ray said to him , "I took your advice ". The delivery man was puzzled . Then ray expanded on this statement and told the delivery man about his big night . Ray had asked the delivery man the night before what he should say while standing before all the people that would be at the coming night's benefit . The delivery man had told him to say something about how he was one with those in attendance and that he loved them all .

The night before the benefit for him , Ray had expressed to us that he was very apprehensive about having to stand up before a crowd of people and say something.What would he say ? Ray had no reason to be concerned . Everything was easy . He felt right at home standing before all his friends .

This morning ,7 hours after he had left the benefit , Ray went on and on about how amazed he was by all the people that were in attendance at his benefit and by all the folks who are helping him these days .Ray told us of some folks that he met at the benefit who had been reading about Ray on this blog . These folks who live in Virginia decided to come to his benefit in New York city to help save Ray's .

Ray also expressed his amazement with all the cameras pointed at him and all the reporters that wanted to interview him .Ray told us this morning that there are even more that want to interview him later .

It seems that Monday night was the best and easiest of times for Ray .