Wednesday, February 21, 2007

I Like it Here

The last time I visited New York I hated it.

It wasn't that the place lacked vibrancy, it was just that all that energy was too frenetic: a sense of paranoic violence lurked beneath the surface of things. Gazes were directed downwards, the onwards hurtle toward home and safety not to be compromised by eye contact.

Times Square was a sleazy disgusting porn ridden dump. The subway was like a demented relative losing sight of the only thing that gave their life purpose.

These days people are happy to stop and talk. Is it the aftermath of 9/11 or a consequence of proper policing? I don't know, but I'm not complaining.

Some things haven't changed. People talk to themselves in McDonalds. Vagrants shuffle uncomplainingly, carrying their wordly chattels in bin bags. A black man with no legs rattles his tin. Wall Street disgorges its fat odiousness onto the subway.

I think I'll trudge across to the Rockefeller Center tomorrow. Sometimes capitalism in its rawest form produces something sublime. I plan to vist Trump Tower afterwards. If the ginger one is present I won't be able to contain myself.

8 comments:

Arabella said...

Trump Tower - there's a decent loo in the basement plaza. Do it.
Best description of the NY subway ever, by the way.

FirstNations said...

seconding arabella. this post was as good as a photograph, garfy.

i don't know about the terlits in the TT. personally i'd hold it until you get back, to your room. i mean, it IS nyc, after all.

Rowan said...

Nice!
Care to plan a trip only slightly north to the Toronto area, Ontario?
Your description of NY still sounds like home though :)

Sniffy said...

You lucky bastard. I really want to see New York. Visiting Trump Tower with Trump would be the best!

S.I.D. said...

So you spent the whole day in Times Square then?

Peevish McSnark said...

I'm glad you're having a good time. I think you hit it on the head with the 9/11 comment - New Yorkers really have changed: they realize that they're not invulnerable.

If you're interested, there's a great little "Irish Pub" at 73rd and 1st called Finnegan's Wake. They have (awed whisper) real Oirish people working there! They make a cracking beef stew, and it's probably the cheapest meal you'll eat in NYC.

Faltanus said...

awww...just go ahead and say it...you know you want to....
"I 'heart' NY"

Anonymous said...

You lucky bastard....why, WHY, WHY couldn't it be me?

PO