The Long Island hot-dog hooker’s first day back on the job — after nearly a week behind bars — was more of a circus than a sausage-fest yesterday.
Catherine Scalia parked her mobile wiener stand in an abandoned lot in Hempstead, and was met with a throng of hungry patrons, angry residents and eventually the police, who shut her down after only three hours.
But she swears she’ll be selling her steaming wieners — and a striptease, if the price is right — today in Long Beach.
(Dennis Clark)
(Dennis Clark)
(Dennis Clark)
(Dennis Clark)
APPETIZING? Catherine Scalia plies her wares in Hempstead, LI, yesterday before the cops came. The stripper-cum-vendor inexplicably insists, “If you got it, flaunt it!” (Photos: Dennis Clark)
APPETIZING? Catherine Scalia plies her wares in Hempstead, LI, yesterday before the cops came. The stripper-cum-vendor inexplicably insists, “If you got it, flaunt it!”
“This is a lot better than jail!” said Scalia, clad in a tight, reddish tank top as she served a line of gawking patrons with relish.
“This is what I love to do, sell hot dogs and show off what I got a little bit. If you got it, flaunt it, that’s what I say.”
Scalia had a stack of her “strips r us” business cards on display — even though she was busted last Friday for agreeing to pleasure an undercover cop for $50 after he purchased a hot dog. She pleaded guilty to the charge.
Her return was unwelcome to many in the Baldwin area.
“We’re here trying to make this community better, and now you have this skank coming in here and doing her disgusting business,” sneered Jessenia Mendez-Velazquez, 33, a member of the local civic association.
She feverishly called for local cops or the Health Department to shut Scalia down.
When Mendez-Velazquez didn’t get a quick response, she bought a couple of hot dogs herself, threw what was apparently fake money at Scalia, and stormed off screaming.
“Don’t come back!” Scalia shouted after her.
“I’ll be back until you’re gone!” Mendez-Velazquez shot back.
But others appreciated the service.
“I saw her on TV last night, and I had to see what it was about,” said Michael DiSanto, 22 a landscaper from Freeport.
“To be honest, I think I’ll stick with the hot dogs, but I have her card here just in case,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s just funny; I say let her do her thing.”
All told, about 20 patrons showed up — along with several Pep Boys employees.
“I’ve bought hot dogs from her from time to time,” said one.
“She’s nice enough, but I think she’s asking for trouble. The whole thing is pretty ridiculous.”
Moments later, a silver Cadillac skidded into the parking lot.
Jerry Koenig, who claimed to own the property, angrily demanded Scalia leave, then called the police. “Get the f–k off my property now!” he roared. “I don’t need this publicity, I don’t need this s–t!”
Scalia moved her stand about 50 feet down the road and attempted to reopen, but police booted her on a technicality.
She has a Nassau permit to sell food from a truck, they said, but she did not have a permit issued by the Town of Hempstead. Finally, Scalia threw in the towel.