I left the house at about 3:30 yesterday to go see a free bellydance performance at Lincoln Center. Talked to a nice guy on the train with an octopus tattoo who had just been to Barbados. i remember he asked me at one point what time it was. 4:00, I said, and then we both got off at 59th St.
Whoa! The lights were flickering on and off in the station. At moments, it went completely black. Odd, because when I’d gotten on the F train a half hour earlier the lights inside the train cars were out until we got into the tunnels; at every station the lights would go on again. i suppose I should have taken that as a warning sign.
Anyway I got myself above ground with much beating of heart during the litup spaces between the darkness, and found myself milling around the bottom of the park, trying unsuccessfully to get through to someone on my cell phone.
I stopped and sat on a park bench for a while to consider my options. Was this just some little local thing? Should I just go to the performance no matter what? Common sense got the better of me and I started to head south on foot, as I noticed many other people were starting to do. Of course, there were plenty of people heading north as well. People were emptying out of buildings, everyone clutching a cell phone, some people with panicky expressions. I walked and walked.
Past the Fox news building where someone said, “They should have a Fox news item about how the Fox ticker doesn’t have any news on it.” It’s true, it didn’t. Got a hot dog thinking I might need strength for the journey.
Walked and walked. Along with tourists and businesspeople, old people, lots of people obviously introducing themselves to each other for the first time.
The most common refrain: “I hope this means I don’t have to work tomorrow.”
So hot and humid — sometimes little blasts of cool air coming from building lobbies.
Walked and walked. Rang Annie and Dorian’s doorbell at 29th St. No answer — probably cuz no electricity! Duh. Kept walking. Thought should I head for Adeena’s place? No. Head for home.
Down past a haagen-dasz shop where a line of people penetrated its darkness. One guy at the end of the line saying: “I don’t care what you get me — anything — just get me something with fudge in it”
A little while later I buy a scoop of melting coffee gelato for a dollar. I’m glad of all the calories as I keep walking walking
Down through Chinatown and through City Hall, those wavy green and purple benches where I stop for a minute to refill my water bottle, oh shit I’ve switched my tenses here OK I’ll go back in the past.
Down to the Brooklyn Bridge — hordes of people — it feels like Partition! Except not as many people heading the other direction.
Groups of schoolkids. Lots of pregnant women. People with carts of merchandise. A group of guys carrying a shelf — why a shelf? One huge woman in a gold tunic — she must have been 400 pounds, walking with a cane. Women in sexy outfits, tiny minis, high heels. I’m grateful for the Timberland sandals I am so sensibly wearing.
My feet are holding out fine (OK I’m still in the present here, let’s keep it the present then) and so is my energy except that I’m starting to get that feeling of my head being a bit swirly. It’s hot and so crowded and I have no details. Is this terrorism? Most people seemed so calm. We all just kept on walking. Over that bridge. Stupidly, I stayed on the walkway instead of going down to the wider roadway where many people were more comfortably walking.
Did you know that the walkway sways, you can actually see the girders of the bridge swaying? The 400 pound woman. The wooden slats I hope no one smokes.
Coming off the bridge there’s Marty Markowitz borough president with his family, yelling through abullhorn, “Welcome Home Brooklyn!” It’s corny but I cry a little mostly relieved that I haven’t fainted yet. He is so utterly Brooklyn.
Thinking I should stop and take a rest but no no rest must get home before dark.
I get to downtown Brooklyn finally and get to a bus stop where I wait with hundreds of others as many many busses pass completely full. Getting quite woozy now. More than an hour passes, darkness falls, there are sirens and flashing lights everywhere am i going to pass out?, I’m waiting there, finally I see a car with mostly women in it, knock on the window, “where are you going” “park slope” they tell me and I squeeze in to the back part of the car, thank goddesses I have my japanese fan with me, there’s no air but somehow I manage to circulate it anyway. Sharing the car with some Russian women who have also hitched a ride trying to get back to Ocean parkway, where I also live.
Passing by so many stoop parties, barbecues, the little candles everywhere; there is a feeling of Halloween.
Get let off at 8th Ave and Flatbush, which is a nightmare, streams of people heading up into Prospect Heights. I almost get backed into by the very car that just dropped me off. Another car almost runs into us as we are crossing yourself : “watch yourself” the driver says and laughs sort of maniacially. Yikes. Find my way to 7th Ave. Waiting at the bus stop again seems futile — the people waiting there seem spooky and shellshocked. Still with the Russian ladies who flag down another car which happens to have in it two guys and yet another Russian lady — very glamorous in a top covered with white sequins! And I get a ride to a place about two blocks away from my apartment. Now almost ten o’clock.
The super put candles on the front steps and also in the lobby. I’m so grateful. Scariest thing is going up the steps with no light. The hallways are pitch black, I’m feeling my way along, counting the flights. One, two, three, four, then feeling down the hall counting doors. OK that’s the garbage chute, and this is home. Feeling for the keyhole. Figuring out the right key.
I knew right where to go for matches and candles and flashlights, yay, but I’m scared because where is Gary? I stick to routine, give the cats some wet food. Then I take a homeopathic calm pill. Ah. Drink some water. I bring a flashlight into the hallway for when Gary comes home. He’s walked ALL THE WAY from midtown.
Amazingly, he was walking up the steps just at that minute. Can you imagine?
We feasted on Carr’s crackers and soppresato and brie and gruyere and grapes and ice water. A restive night though of too many sirens, too much unrelieved darkness, and not enough air or information.
Then at 4:30 this morning the power came on.
Whew.
Haven’t we had enough already?
All’s well that ends well I guess.
So… what do you think — another government cospiracy? Bush II talking about how we need to re-do the infrastructure. Is he thinking CONTRACTS maybe? KICKBACKS? Am I too paranoid????
Talk to us! We’ve had a rough time!
Otohime 