This morning, Honey and I went on our daily trip to Stuyvesant park. I grab a coffee from the cart guy on 14th street, a ritual of late. Tried to make my own but milk went off during the night apparently, transforming my perfectly pressed coffee into a disgusting curdled mess. I have about $17 to last until Friday and it's only Wednesday. Good girl on a budget!
Perfect start to a perfect day.
We sit, Honey hangs out while I read or do a crossword. I never, ever used to just sit but the thought of going back to a hot box of an apartment is too depressing. It's another 90 degree day already but still nice in the shade. My spirits lift slightly as the caffeine kicks in and I watch the people come and go, mostly staff at Beth Israel. Gardeners are working in the flower boxes surrounded by a beautiful fountain. Honey greets the other dogs with a stand-offish curiosity and while she looks adorable the fact is she's a possessive bitch and will act as such if another dog gets between us. She's been stellar lately, getting better every day.
We take a walk around the park and I see this woman, probably homeless, washing her clothes in a water fountain. Our paths were definitely going to cross as I had to pass her to get by. I averted my gaze and quickened my step but was drawn right into her trap. She said, "can I ask you something"? Here we go. The smell of her made me instantly nauseous, a post radiation treat. Being the ever polite waspy swf I said "sure". There then ensued a rant of epic proportions beginning with a story about how someone "broke up all her stuff" last night and ending with "Brittany Spears and her crazy tattooed boyfriend did it". I then realized she was young, so so young. I felt for her and knew she needed mental help. Her rant became louder and louder becoming more aggressive now crying "they're all racist" and "kill all white people" and how she could hurt someone real bad. Nice. Kbye!
We split leaving her screaming at no one in particular.
Momentary spirit lift=gone.
Five minutes later walking home down the avenue I spot another clearly disturbed woman pounding down the street coming right at us. "Fuck God" she said as she spat in front of me on the sidewalk. Lovely.
Moments later, after being hit up for change by the resident homeless guy, there's another guy laid out on the sidewalk in front of my place apparently going into some sort of seizure. He's shirtless, filthy, hair in matted, stinking dreads lolling about while good Samaritan guy is calling 911. I don't stop to help. I have become that person. Too much.
I really, really hate it here. Cannot believe people are paying $3000 a month to live on this block. It's a gentrified ghetto. High end tenement living. I don't belong here!!!
Change is imminent. NYC summertime blues.
When I lived in Manhattan I declared my love and that I'd NEVER live in Brooklyn. Then I lived in Brooklyn, declared my love and that I'd NEVER move back to Staten Island. I've moved back to Staten Island and am daily blown away by how lovely it is.
ReplyDeleteI support your getting out of that city, it's gross :)
*hugs* for a better day, my sweet. xoxo