by Chatchka on 07 May 2009 15:45
After several days of rain, the weather in NYC yesterday was blissful. Sunny, not too warm, not too cool. DM and I connected in Times Square at the Police station, of course.
Grabbed a subway to soho and went to a cool store called Pearl River that Lynne and I discovered back in August. Then we had a leisurely lunch in some bistro or other -- pasta, drinks, yum. Took a stroll through Washington Park, took a look at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory building, and strolled past a very historically significant storefront where DM and Moe first met.
For me, it was fun absorbing the feel of soho and the village as I'm reading Suze Rotolo's book, A Freewheelin' Time. Seeing the streets to which she refers was a pretty unique experience to enjoy mid-book even with all of the time and change that have softened the effect -- I recommend both the stroll and the book (if you like rock/folk history and Bob Dylan).
There was an odd man that I saw early in the day -- as he shuffled he chuckled loudly and maniacally to himself. At 10 a.m. he was on Park Avenue in midtown, but several hours later, as DM and I left the lunch joint, there he was, still shuffling and chuckling his way south on Broadway through soho. This sparked a conversation about how often you can run into people you know in NY, or see the same people -- that it is really not that large of a town. Just then, a young fellow that was walking toward us stuffed his entire forearm down his pants, vigorously and unabashedly adjusted himself while looking us in the eye, extricated his arm and carried on walking as if he had merely rubbed his nose. I think in an earlier post I said something about the sophistication of NY. This fellow was clearly not an example of what I meant. And, a couple of hours later, as I sat in the airport bar next to a scientist from the CDC, I marveled at how people are worried about catching the flu bug from touching a door knob, when there are fellows like "pocket-pool boy" in soho distributing potentially far more disturbing things in public areas. Thank God DM and I were leaving the coffee shop before he went in.
When I got home last night, I had the same observation that I do each time I return from NY -- WOW, it is quiet here. I had a beer out by my pool before I turned in and the silence was oppressive. I longed for a siren or a honking horn, but as the neighborhood was asleep I had to be satisfied with tree frogs.
We took a couple of self portraits in Washington Park which I'll post later. Thanks DM, for a great day!
Go Club Tama -- Balls OUT!!!!!