and so he walked....

a long walk on Saturday, on his way to the Doxsee. How long? Well, cityboy got off the subway at the Prospect Park section of the Q, he made his way south on the beginning on the northern boundary of Ocean Avenue. Continued on Ocean to Parkside Avenue, then east on Parkside to Flatbush and south again on Flatbush to Church Avenue. The streets filled with people, mostly of color with a smattering of whites around. Church Avenue at Flatbush (actually about East 21 Street) is also filled and this crowded street continues until about East 18th street. On the side streets, apartment houses as far as the eye can see. Are the apartments in these houses the ones I would have been raised in had my parents taught in Brooklyn instead of the Bronx? Stickball games, hide and seek, running bases, transistor radios tuned tot the Dodger game on every street. Was that at some point an all (or mostly)
Jewish neighborhood. At East 18th a remarkable change happens. We are entering Ditmas Park---the apartment houses lessen considerably, on the streets are the large private houses, the almost private streets that go from Church south to Cortelyou Road. And  Church avenue almost immediately quiets down, one sees a fairly large Pakistani community around the streets. But it is the contrast---the crowded streets east of East 18th street to the placid streets west of East 18th that really comes to attention. Cityboy continues his walk, west on Church, looking in at a few bars and restaurants, and finally boards a bus that will take him west on 39th street to about 5th Avenue. 39th between about 12th to sixth avenue  is a strange corridor, it seems almost non-traveled, some factories and small buildings on the street. If the city wants to build new housing, that seems like a perfect place for it, yet, as far as I know, it has not been mentioned in rezoning plans. A really interesting ride.
  Now south on 5th as I walk towards 52nd street and the theater. Lots of 99cent stores, the area seems overhwhelmingly hispanic---cityboy is hungry, stops at a bagel place, is told that a small roast beef sandwich will cost $8.66---he rebels, refuses to pay, and instead orders some cream cheese on a bagel for a little more than $5.00 less. Then on to the theater.
  The one act play, based on stories from Sinbad the Sailor, is an inventive piece about 4 men in a prison cell, who pass the time recreating the stories of Sinbad and his travels. Why are they in prison? As the play progresses, the audience learns that the jail is in Egypt, that this current regime, very autocratic has systematically persecuted gay men, and that these guys were all taken off the street by the police, their only crime, it seems was being gay. So the play continues that way, contrasting the regressive world of Egypt and the expansive world of the Sinbad stories. Was it good? Very effective, sometimes a little slow, but really well acted by the four male actors and one women. Incredible conviction---these actors give so much of themselves and it is only for five performances. A very strongly conceived piece.
  Afterwards, cityboy, determined for a little "adventure" stops at the Cherry Tree bar on fourth avenue near Bergen street in Park Slope; it is on his way home. Not much exciting going on there, cityboy has a light beer and watches a bit of the Met game, then goes home.
  Tonight (I will discuss yesterday's events. probably tomorrow) cityboy may attend a film at Lincoln Center by Visconti; it may not be one of his bests (not sure) but should show some homage to this great director, so possibly I will go. Will report on all tomorrow.