Its been two weeks since

 I last published---makes sense, since the two long weekends break up my tutoring structure and create all kinds of conflicting feelings, some of which go away very quickly; some of which don't. No matter, this morning i want to write about my visit to Brooklyn yesterday---the first time in a while when I actually challenged myself to just BE there, without a true destination.

But Brooklyn, or at least Williamsburg and Bushwick, is so different from the upper west side. A sense of easiness---mostly younger people, and more quiet is what I found yesterday. Of course , it was January 1, and I realize that a lot of people in those neighborhoods were "recovering" from the night before. Metropolitan and Grand Avenue, the two main streets of Williamsburg as it moves to the east,  might be very noisy on Saturday evenings. I wonder how that effects the sale of co-ops and luxury apartments that now line those streets. Walking east on Metropolitan, I tried to imagine the last twenty years in the story of that neighborhood. Maybe even twenty fiive. Was there really a time when the streets were dangerous. when mostly working class people lived in those areas?  No high rises, no coffee walk ins, just what...? Walking through those streets, I was both relaxed, but had to accept my role as somone "comfortable" with the changes because they made me feel safer. Anyway, my main destination was the Cobra Club, my old "haunt', but it did not open until 3, and I arrived at Lorimer Street almost at 2. Found the Hungry Ghost coffee place that is near Graham Avenue, had my coffee and read a short story. I like the "Ghost", it is roomy and has good light, and yesterday, as one could imagine, was not very crowded. After I left, I still had some time so I walked south on Graham to Grand Street, and then wandered around Grand and Bushwick Avenue for a while. Pre pandemic and illnes, it would have been nothing for me to walk from Grand and Bushwick to Cobra, but at this point it was better for me to take the L the three stops to Jefferson. Actually four stops, since I stayed on to DeKalb, and walked back to Jefferson, again in an attempt to check out the neighborhood.

Arrived at Cobra, not too crowded---the bartender did not know me, and was a little put off when I simlply asked for a Sprite. His demeanor improved, however, after I tipped him one dollar on the two dollar purchase, and I settled in to watch the end of the Giants slaughter of the Indianapolis Colts. I would say Cobra was moderately crowded, their pool table was busy; I was basically left alone to watch the game--no one started a conversation with me, but it did not matter---I felt at home. Stayed for about an hour--then accepted the fact that I was somewhat tired, and took the L back to Manhattan and then the 3 back to the upper west side. Not much to do in the evening, but enjoy the gratification that I had gotten from going back to Brooklyn, and realizing that possibly this kind of trip would not be so hard to do in the future.

One more day of the holiday weekend---plan to see the Caro-Gottleib movie at Film Forum, maybe stop off at the Drama Bookstore before that. Tomorrow morning next CT scan--we will see what happens...