16th st / 15th st / washington st / barrow st / jones st / morton st / spring st / broome st / dominick st / hubert st

9.02 miles

the sights, which i admit i have trouble remembering as i read over my notes: a dog in a bike carriage; three pairs of high waisted jeans and crop tops in a line; bacheloretting; shiba; squirrel jumping from branch to branch; an assembly of outspoken anti-vaxxers; a mother with a baby strapped to her front, tree branches in hand; a park photoshoot; a woman texting with gloved hands; a pack of bikers; rudolf steiner books; music blaring out of a window; lone sandwich eating on a stoop; twins; a full tour bus; dianne von furstenburg dresses through a window; red suspenders underneath a suit jacket; chest hair; balthazar; rintintin; street lights flickering on; a face that reminded me of a high school non-acquaintance; an edge of the city bar; a man smoking weed on the subway, coughing, “i don’t worry i don’t have covid”.

at the very beginning of the walk, i happened upon a ‘garage sale’, filled with all the knicks and knacks you could desire. vintage postcards, delicate but rusty baking dishes, a collection of photo slides? i was very intrigued by the slides even though they are before my time.

if i were to live somewhere in the city, it would be the lower east side. the intersection of bedford and barrow is an alcove, a peaceful retreat moments from the twinkly restaurants of the west village; trees in bloom.

a few thoughts trickle back as i look back at the photos from these streets. i spent this walk listening to this american life: the campus tour has been cancelled and what lies beneath. tears in my eyes as i walked.

a spontaneous voice memo exchange with an old friend.

night falls quickly at the end; walk fast.