33rd st / 32nd st
3.89 miles
the sun still high in the sky after work, i flew down to 33rd street, or rather, i biked. breaking a sweat on the shallow hills of riverside, gliding downward, past cars, past pedestrians, birds alive.
summer in the city is glorious. even as my mind somersaults these days, the warmth and light of the evening comforts. adventures with friends and conversations where time and place are forgotten. i can feel this season slipping through my fingers already.
new york is awakening. walking today, i observed the newest fashion: mask worn on the chin. this new style says to the stranger: “no, i am not an anti-masker, but i am vaccinated, and the cdc is dumb, but it’s hot out, and i’m outside”.. or one can hope.
another new spectacle, as alluded to last time, is the half-masked couple. in the assumedly straight relationships i have witnessed, it is more common for the man to not be wearing a mask and for the woman to be masked.
this is not my favorite part of manhattan, but, alas, it is where my bike ride took me. parts of these streets make me understand the gripes some have with this city: grimy, rundown, touristy, scaffolding, scaffolding, construction, scaffolding.
the middle of 33rd bombards you with neon signs and americanized ethnic. the west side of 33rd is more welcoming: remnants of what i believe was the garment district, a bit of architectural intrigue. at the hudson river is the vessel and beside the east river is nyu’s hospital. scrubs abound.
two saving graces are the view of the empire state building that looms larger and larger in one’s vision as one walks eastward on 33rd. and on 32nd, for two brief blocks, koreatown. it was painful to smell the korean bbq and keep walking. instead, i picked up kimbap and a misugaru slushie, an extremely content dinner. i went inside the cool, cool hmart too, only because i am reading michelle zauner’s crying in hmart these days.
today’s sights were rather acrid but sometimes delightful: a barrage of police cars; sausage smoke from a cart; a fluffy pomeranian; b and h photo, a two story affair; two teal suitcases in a row; a chubby baby on her father’s shoulders, googly-eyed; a softball player; penn station; sisters speaking spanish; a man peeing; a purple grad gown; the ginseng museum cafe.
despite the fair number of people on the sidewalks, this walk was quiet excepting occasional sirens. tis a work day, and more are in the office around here, or walking their dogs, or getting in a run before the sun sets. i see more people walking alone. the chatter is abysmal, peaceful, compared to a weekend afternoon.
my feet are quite tired today, after being on my feet in lab, and a couple of mishaps today. but post-walk, drinking my rooibos tea in a quiet apartment, content is the word i feel.
intermingled is a bit of fear, apprehension, insecurity, guilt, desire,
but for this evening i will be content.
Take me where love isn't up for sale
Take me where our hearts are not so frail
Take me where the fire still owns its spark
There's only one way to mend a broken heart
Beautiful Dawn by The Wailin’ Jennys