7th ave / varick st / w broadway / ann st / william st / stone st

6.87 miles

these were the sights and a couple sounds of this walk: a grandfather carrying his grandson’s scooter up the subway stairs; souvenir stores; a man in a tan coat holding beads, trying to gain my attention; half zipped jeans; two paris baguettes (the korean bakery); flamboyant dance moves; the line for whole foods; a man leaned against the wall nodding as another man entered a building; three bike stores (thinking of you, bro); someone standing on the edge of the sidewalk eating dollar pizza; smize; subway rumbling below the grates below my feet; jackhammer, dust in my eyes; the holland tunnel; albert capsouto park, chess tables; a dead pigeon next to a soda cup; sweater wearing shivers; two masked treadmill walkers in an immaculate gym; suited up police men, guns; a woman kneeling and screaming; a really long cigarette; church bells, 4:30pm; two nurses in teal and blue scrubs riding the subway.

i listened to the anthropocene reviewed for part of my walk, at least until my headphones ran out of battery. i am still thinking about a quote from susan sontag:

nothing is more punitive than to give a disease a meaning.

i passed right through times square with little feeling. the streets were recognizable today as i’ve been around this area the past couple of walks. i passed small’s, and was struck by excitement/apprehension as it appeared open, but then realized that while performers were there, the audience was on the screen. i watched a woman carrying bags upon bags of aluminum cans and plastic bottles, perilously yet perfectly balanced, world trade center visible in the distance.

the financial district is not romantic; the streets are narrow and dark and grimy, though perhaps that is what you would expect. yet as i approached the battery, the sun came out. it was half an hour to sunset, and i raced southward to catch a glimpse of lady liberty, radiance beaming from the clouds, gold reflecting off the ferry; wind whacking hair across my face. i do love to visit the lady.

nearing the end of jennifer egan’s a visit from the goon squad and not wanting to have carried the book in vain, i read a little as i watched the seemingly eternal sunset. it was a tepid day, but this close to the water, my fingers were frozen by the time i got into the subway car.