Sparky Kronkite
Spam Eater Extraordinare'
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2000
- Posts
- 8,921
On my walk in this morning, once again I'm reminded as to why I so love living here. The life experience that floats my life-boat on this inane sea of tumultuously flowing human flotsam.
Once again, the math: In any, "normal, family-type neighborhood in NYC," you've got it all. Within the meager crossroads of any numbered street and a main north/south Avenue, you could have roughly 40,000 "live there" residents. And even in "the best of neighborhoods" (read there, predominantly white, very good schools, low crime, relatively classy amenities) - one of which the Shebade and I live in - you still have everything and everybody. The homeless, the rich and all folks, of all colors in between - just like any city of 40K.
And that's what I like - maybe I crave it - everything!
Lot's of people like to surround themselves in roses. Everywhere they turn they would like to see or smell roses. They might even go to great expense to live among the roses. That's cool - whatever floats you own personal life-boat, whatever keeps you sane - that's cool. But me? I like, I love - to see and smell the rose, feel the rose, feel the leathery leaves, touch the thorns. I even like to feel the pain of the thorns and then down below, I love the soil. I like to taste the soil.
I like it all. I love everything, every experience.
So, walking to work I fall behind a mother, obviously taking a couple of her kids and a couple of other's kids to school. She's an attractive, young Hispanic woman, probably Puerto Rican. She is saying to her son of about 5, "Maybe, maybe a very little one this year." And then almost like magic - her thick, dark haired, very cute little boy spies something ahead and starts pulling her toward it and saying, "There's a little one right there, look there's a little one!"
He's dragging her toward some tiny, mini-Christmas trees out in front of a big chain, drug store. They're only about 2.5 feet tall and they're in soil, living in their pots. I didn't hear any other conversation. But I know, those trees cost a bundle - they're professionally dwarfed trees - almost like the Japanese art of………….? Oh, I can't dredge up the name. Anyway, I knew that if this family did not have a tree last year - they probably would not purchase one of these relatively expensive trees this year. I walked on. Thinking, as I always do.
And that observation, I guess, emphasizes my point. I live in a neighborhood where all types of people live. People from all over the planet. People of all different incomes. All of us living in the same acre - a single damn acre! And it all happens, life happens, in a very "in your face way." Not, in your face, in a bad way - like many who look upon New York, perceive it and judge it - but an - in your face "in the only way" - it's the "only way you can live here" - it's simply that dense. It's simply that undeniable an experience.
And that is what gives others, outsiders the perception that, "all of us who live here - we think we're in some kind of special, elitist club."
Well, special it is - elitist it ain't. Living here, it's simply a fact of life - we're all in this thing together. And we're kind of proud of surviving it.
Nothing more, nothing less.
I hope that boy, and his mom, and family - get that tree this year.
I hope all of you - get your tree this year.
Me? Feelin' a strong 10 this sunny morn.
Once again, the math: In any, "normal, family-type neighborhood in NYC," you've got it all. Within the meager crossroads of any numbered street and a main north/south Avenue, you could have roughly 40,000 "live there" residents. And even in "the best of neighborhoods" (read there, predominantly white, very good schools, low crime, relatively classy amenities) - one of which the Shebade and I live in - you still have everything and everybody. The homeless, the rich and all folks, of all colors in between - just like any city of 40K.
And that's what I like - maybe I crave it - everything!
Lot's of people like to surround themselves in roses. Everywhere they turn they would like to see or smell roses. They might even go to great expense to live among the roses. That's cool - whatever floats you own personal life-boat, whatever keeps you sane - that's cool. But me? I like, I love - to see and smell the rose, feel the rose, feel the leathery leaves, touch the thorns. I even like to feel the pain of the thorns and then down below, I love the soil. I like to taste the soil.
I like it all. I love everything, every experience.
So, walking to work I fall behind a mother, obviously taking a couple of her kids and a couple of other's kids to school. She's an attractive, young Hispanic woman, probably Puerto Rican. She is saying to her son of about 5, "Maybe, maybe a very little one this year." And then almost like magic - her thick, dark haired, very cute little boy spies something ahead and starts pulling her toward it and saying, "There's a little one right there, look there's a little one!"
He's dragging her toward some tiny, mini-Christmas trees out in front of a big chain, drug store. They're only about 2.5 feet tall and they're in soil, living in their pots. I didn't hear any other conversation. But I know, those trees cost a bundle - they're professionally dwarfed trees - almost like the Japanese art of………….? Oh, I can't dredge up the name. Anyway, I knew that if this family did not have a tree last year - they probably would not purchase one of these relatively expensive trees this year. I walked on. Thinking, as I always do.
And that observation, I guess, emphasizes my point. I live in a neighborhood where all types of people live. People from all over the planet. People of all different incomes. All of us living in the same acre - a single damn acre! And it all happens, life happens, in a very "in your face way." Not, in your face, in a bad way - like many who look upon New York, perceive it and judge it - but an - in your face "in the only way" - it's the "only way you can live here" - it's simply that dense. It's simply that undeniable an experience.
And that is what gives others, outsiders the perception that, "all of us who live here - we think we're in some kind of special, elitist club."
Well, special it is - elitist it ain't. Living here, it's simply a fact of life - we're all in this thing together. And we're kind of proud of surviving it.
Nothing more, nothing less.
I hope that boy, and his mom, and family - get that tree this year.
I hope all of you - get your tree this year.
Me? Feelin' a strong 10 this sunny morn.
