free fall continues....

the marches continue---yesterday around 8:30 I was stunned to hear chanting from what seemed like a large group of people.  Soon, to my amazement, a really large group of protesters lined West End Avenue---it took all of them about 5 minutes to pass through my block. It was the first protest that took place on the upper west side---I was sure that for some reason, we were too uptown for the movement but no...there they were. There is another group now that is at Columbus Circle, having traveled north on sixth avenue to get there. Are they moving north, toward us after that? Will have to see.
In all my years of watching protests, I have never seen a group of people, so determined, so full of conviction, so focused, so anxious to come back day after day. But how will this play out in the future? Where will this energy and awareness go?  This group has gotten a first hand look at police brutality---will they stop at nothing to get police reform? Will they throw their support to political candidates---after all they are a very strong voting block. Will they just peter out and go back to their homes and apartments. I doubt it. That is what I mean by "free fall"; it is hard to predict the end, or the integration of this group into the larger society of the city. It wide open.
  This morning, finally left the neighborhood to go to one of my banks at Union Square. The line to get into the bank was incredibly long; I left very soon after joining the line---I simply could not wait that long a time. But it was wonderful just walking in a different neighborhood. Afterwards I walked north on 5th avenue from 14th to 23rd street. Many stores boarded up most people on the street were either delivery people or in construction. Still just to observe the essence of a different neighborhood---terrific! Then I walked west to sixth avenue and waited for the 7 bus, which brought me back to the upper west side. Again, many boarded buildings---nobody is taking a chance after the looting of Sunday and Monday. Finally arrived at my destination---the upper west side---and returned to the apartment.