I took a long walk around the old neighborhood this morning. From 25th Avenue to Bay Parkway between Benson and Bath Avenues, there was little damage to the exterior of homes and businesses. There was one oddity. There were downed trees between 25th Avenue and Bay 40th Street on both Benson (two) and Bath, as if the same gust took all three out. I was surprised that all the canvas and plastic awnings along 86th Street remained intact. Several stores were opening as I passed, most of them run by Asians. Of course, other people in the tri-state area weren’t as fortunate, as photographs in the NY Post showed. Breezy Point was devastated. An old friend lost her house, but her family survived. Another friend, in Belle Harbor, which isn’t very far from Breezy, was incredibly lucky. Water lapped at her home but did no real damage, while the church across the street burned to the ground. I’m waiting to hear how friends on Staten Island fared.
Yesterday, as I was walking toward the old house, a woman called out my name. Lisa T. was in town from Florida for the funeral of her mom, Josie, 85. Their family has been living on Bay 37th for as long as I can remember. The years have been good to Lisa, who must be 50 by now. Her eyes retain the same vivid blue as her late dad’s, and her body seems young and firm. Condolences to her and brother, Michael, who we used to call Trini, I know not why. Their mom joins her husband Sam in heaven. The block has lost another of its stalwarts. It brings to mind the brilliant, powerful soliloquy that ends James Joyce’s short masterpiece, The Dead. “One by one we are becoming shadows….” Levity comes so hard right now. It's easy to rationalize the desire for sweets.
I returned home to see if power had been restored. I checked on the handicapped woman upstairs, who had been told it would be four or five days before the lights were back on. She is a nervous wreck. A couple down the hall were nice enough to take her cell phone someplace to be recharged. I went back downstairs along the pitch black corridors and stairwell, using the meaagre light from my cell phone for guidance. I played the guitar even more terribly than usual, read a bit, then took a nap. When I awoke I noticed the time flashing on the alarm clock. Yay! I will try to re-open the floating book shop tomorrow in Park Slope. I doubt I'd sell anything in Sheepshead Bay, where people will be scrambling to stock up on perishables.
Visit Vic's sites:
Vic's Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
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