We walked from the East Village over the Manhattan bridge back to my apartment in Brooklyn on Tuesday. It was heartening to see most people doing as we were – moving to the side of the road/sidewalk when other people were approaching, avoiding stopping to wait for traffic lights in the same spot as others, etc. We managed to frogger our way through downtown Brooklyn pretty easily, though there was one woman who walked directly at us while crossing the street and proclaiming into her phone, “I’m not going to get it! I’m a young, vigorous woman!” upon which we skittered away like bugs, less afraid of cars than human vectors.
I lost my sweatshirt jacket somewhere between Manhattan and Brooklyn, or more likely when we stopped to rest at a bench on the Brooklyn end of the bridge. I had been wearing it draped over my head to provide some modicum of sun protection – even in these times we still found ourselves thinking, “Oh no, I forgot to put on sunblock!” and “I didn’t bring earplugs to protect against the screeching of the subway,” these quaint, tiny measures to protect our health that we used to follow with such vigilance. So I was wearing my sweatshirt over my head and trying to stuff the fabric into my ears when the train passed. And now it’s…somewhere on the ground, c’est la vie.
Last night was the first time NYC applauded for health care providers and grocery store workers and sanitation departments and post officers, etc., (or it was the first time we heard it?), and even though I’ve seen tweets to the effect of “my doctor friend doesn’t care if you cheer for her, she cares if you elect responsible politicians” (which I agree is more important!), both things can happen simultaneously, and I admit to feeling a mix of “now I’m going to cry” crossed with the old, weird, classroom/choir anxiety of “is it too late to join in now? Have I missed it? Will people be able to hear (gasp, horror) my voice?” and a touch of the anticipation one gets before fireworks (granted, it also sounded like someone in the neighborhood was setting off firecrackers, which…is this really the time?)
