Toni Simon mused last night in the cab (on the way home from the debut screening of Henry Hills’ brilliant film, “Emma’s Dilemma” — more on this later today): “Why are the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge so close together?”

The answer occurred to me in the shower this morning: they are like beta — male Siamese fighting fish. Put together in opposition they show off, display their colors.

OK, big deadlines. I have to finish up the “Hello Kitty”/ “Why People Buy” unit for the textbook. It’s hard being a freelancer — working weekends, cats climbing on my papers (“Hello Kitty” indeed!), all the household chores — not to mention Prospect Park with its new crop of cygnets! — beckoning.