My friend Javier knows a little something about lines.

“I’ve waited in lots of them for Yankees tickets,” Javier said. “I always wanted to be first in line, but I never was. I did have some pretty good spots though. They were like gold in the days before people could get baseball tickets with a computer.”

But everyone still has to get in line to vote.

“This election is important,” Javier said. “I got up early and will stand here all day if I have to.”

Javier left his apartment on Walton Avenue prepared for a long wait. He stuffed a day-old bagel in one jacket pocket and a banana in the other.

When he spotted his friend Jose waiting in line he pulled out the banana and snuck up from behind.

Javier jabbed the banana in Jose’s back and said:

“Stick ‘em up.”

Jose slowly raised his hands and then quickly spun and grabbed the banana.

“Thanks for breakfast,” Jose said. “But when are you gonna come up with a new line? You used that banana-stick-‘em-up deal on me when I was in line for tickets at Yankee Stadium last year.”

“‘Stick ‘em up’ is always a good line as long as you use a banana,” Javier insisted. “Old lines get to be old lines because they’re good.”

“Sometimes old lines are just old,” Jose fired back. “It’s time for a change.”

“Isn’t that why we’re in line?” Javier asked.

Jose smiled.

“Oh yeah.”