Day 63 – June 6, 2014
I flee the silent suburbs on a bus west to New York City. Several bus companies compete for the busy Boston-New York route so I pay only $16 each way. Father drops me off in the rain at the local Riverside station. On the bus, I try to code Arduino microcontrollers, but the jostling road gives me a headache.
Four hours later, the bus snakes deftly and slowly south down sunny 5th Avenue past the Metropolitan Museum, Central Park, flagship shopping stores, and hotdog vendors. Looking through the bus windows, I amazed already by the mix of people. New York’s density is so high but somehow the city thrives.
I jump two subway lines under the river into Brooklyn to disembark in Park Slope near Prospect Park. The spring sun sets on dog walkers, sidewalk dinners, and two guys discussing baby car seats.
Patrick and Amanda recently moved from expensive Tompkin’s Square Park in the East Village to more modest digs in Park Slope. Both of their apartments are on the top floor, so my legs hustle five flights of stairs entering and leaving. Amanda expects her first baby in December. We talk much about life changes over an Indonesian rijstafel dinner.
After dinner, Patrick and I carouse in a neighborhood bar called Skylark. As we both seem to have figured out our livelihoods, we’re now interested in the point of this thing called life. I have been a sober nun at my parents. The two drinks at Skylark hit me happy and hard. I grab a slice of New York pizza on the stumble back home.
I wake late and hung-over. A former self would rally and rush out to experience all of New York. I stay in the apartment. We stare at our own laptops. I finally have a reasonable internet connection. My parents do not have wireless and their internet stops when it rains. In Brooklyn, I catch up on health insurance and stock sorting. I post road photographs from Mount Shasta to Dayton.
Marilyn once said that New York City was the most relaxing place for her. She could blissfully stay in or go out. In either case, New York would provide endless activities so there was no fear of missing out. I happily stay in. I expect fireworks tomorrow.