When I dashed early Friday morning from the Renaissance Woodbridge where Irene was attending the annual conference of the New Jersey Romance Writers and headed for the Metropark New Jersey Transit station, what was uppermost in my mind wasn’t how much fun I’d have catching up with friends, or the restaurants I’d hit, or the sights I’d see while wandering Manhattan. No, what I couldn’t stop thinking about was a mission I had to complete, a mission the details of which I dared not share until it was completed.

What can I say? I guess I was being superstitious about the task and didn’t want to jinx it.

Many of you thought, when I hinted at my mysterious goal for the day on Twitter and Facebook, that I was in town to interview for a new job or freelance gig, but it wasn’t anything like that. Instead, one of the things I needed to do while I was in town was deliver the package in the photo below, and until I put it in the hands of its intended recipient, I was going to be extremely nervous.

Any guesses, before you look below and see the contents revealed, what was inside? (Those of you who were following along at the time are, of course, exempt.)

But before I could be relieved of my burden, I had a brunch date with my boss Craig Engler at (where else?) Shopsins, which has my favorite restaurant menu ever. After walking down from Penn Station to the Essex Street Market to meet him at around 10:15, I had a Happy Breakfast Tray made up of bread pudding French toast, raspberry pancakes, and cheddar corn cakes. Everything was, of course, excellent. As far as I’m concerned, a visit to New York isn’t a visit to New York without a visit to Shopsins.

When we were finished eating and schmoozing, I’d have loved to wander around the Lower East Side, but my mystery package was too much of a burden to carry around for long. I needed to get rid of it quickly so I could enjoy the day without worry. So I hiked up to 79th and Fifth where I visited with a rep from Heritage Auctions who happened to be in town … and gave him this.

Yes, that’s exactly what it looks like—a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, which featured the first appearance of Spider-Man. It’s Irene’s copy; we sold mine a long time ago. Why are we selling it (and two other less valuable but still somewhat valuable comics) now? I’ll explain all that once the copy gets graded and is up for auction. For now, let’s just say … it was time.

Once that weight was lifted off my shoulders, I wandered the exhibition of the pieces that would be auctioned that weekend, which consisted of tons of magazine art, including beautiful pieces from the likes of James Montgomery Flagg, J. C. Leyendecker, Norman Rockwell, and Charles Addams.

After further meandering, I met up with old pal Bob Howe for drinks, wandered the Village, and had dinner at the food carts in Madison Square Park. (Those duck buns from the Hong Kong Street Cart were great!) And then, after a long day, I headed back to New Jersey, because on Saturday, I planned to wake up early and do it all over again. (Well, minus the delivery of the Amazing Fantasy #15, of course.)

And I’ll tell you all about that day tomorrow … assuming my brain isn’t entire eaten by World Fantasy Con prep, that is.