between posts. But it is nasty outside---my tasks for the day are essentially finished---no tutoring until Wednesday, so here I am. Just finished reading a short story by Jhumpa Lahiri, it is called Only Goodness and it has an incredible sense of conflict at its center. Her writing really draws me in---what is it about her work that makes me feel so vulnerable, yet at the same time, asks me if I could create a conflict in a short story of my own. That's assuming that I could even write a short story. The collection is called Unaccostomed Earth, Truthfully, I can't read another story in that collection now, or possibly even if the near future; the experience of reading Only Goodness was too intense. Her universe draws me in too much. Need time to recover.
Yesterday, a trip to Bushwick---finally! Mayday celebration at Maria Hernandez park, Joined my cousin there and an old friend from my days at to FUREE, Lot of cries of solidarity, lots of activist booths, good to see all this energy in the name of helping others. I admired the solidarity, the other hand, the real estate industry as so aggressive---it is like pushing against a mountain. A mountain with no moral center. Earlier, arrived at the 14th street stop on the L, only to find out that it was not running in Manhattan at all this weekend. What should I do---turn around and see a movie? No, decided I would tough it out by train and bus and got there anyway. Stayed at the park for a little over an hour, went over to my pre pandemic"hangout "the Cobra Club. Had a nice talk with a bartender, a very welcoming guy named Matt. He is opening up his own bar on Graham Avenue in a few weeks, and invited me to come visit. Great experience--reminded me of my pre pandemic life. Good to be away from the safe but cold upper west side. Once the M trained crossed the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn, I could feel the energy changing, opening up. the Brooklyn world, much more laid back and welcoming, a different aura. After Cobra, walked over to Flushing Avenue and waited for a bus to take me to the J train. This bus route leaves Bushwick and travels through the northern boundary of Bed Stuy, and I would have loved to take it all the way to downtown, passing those Bed-Stuy Avenues---Bedford, Nostrand, Franklin etc, that I have studied and traveled so much in the past, but got off at Broadway and took the J back to Manhattan instead. Stopped off at the Essex Street food mart, for a break, then returned by subway to my home on the upper west side. What a trip! Most energy I have expanded in a long time. lots of walking and climbing stairs, my body resoponded well. More trips like it? We will see.
Rest of day, not sure--no walks, it is pretty grubby out. Will report soon.
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