As if to serve as antidote, not long after the episode with the DVD seller, I came upon, down in the Atlantic subway station:

first a booth of two handsome Lubavitchers set up looking for Jews to bring back into the fold. They didn’t try to give me their spiel but very sweetly said hi

and immediately after, coming out of the elevator, an extravagantly dreadlocked black man with a shopping cart COMPLETELY laden with Africana — drums, fabric printed with village scenes, tasseled hats (like those I imagine on Moroccan water sellers) other musical instruments…

I loved the city again.