I’m currently reading “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel. I’m truly enjoying it and can’t wait to finish. Anyway, the point is that the novel has inspired me to do a bit of writing. Martel has a writing style that I was tempted enough to try to imitate. In chapter 35, as the Patel family is leaving India, Pi lists all of the things his mother would miss about India. So, I decided to write my own piece about New York. While I don’t think it’s quite finished yet and I will most likely come back to it again and again for additions and subtractions, I thought I’d share it regardless.
New York of…
Of dog lovers in Central Park.
Of 153 square blocks of green surrounded by steel grey.
Of subway performances and subway beggars.
Of unity in diversity—Harlem, Spanish Harlem, Chinatown, Little Italy, Greenwich Village.
Of taxi cab drivers attempting to run you over.
Of absentminded tourists walking with their eyes—and their cameras—pointing towards the sky.
Of grumbling natives side-stepping around them during lunch breaks.
Of gyro carts, bicycle taxis and modern horse and buggies.
Of dinosaur exhibits at the Museum of Natural History.
Of monkeys, polar bears and giraffes at the Bronx Zoo.
Of hours spent in the local public library doing everything, but reading.
Of fierce drag queens, men in prosthetics on trains and undiscovered street artists.
Of slushy snow residue covered streets.
Of sun-reflecting skyscrapers.
Of twin towers suddenly brought down.
Of communities brought together by loss.
Of longing glances into 5th avenue shop windows and their clientele.
Of metaphorical big apples.
Of bright light illuminating 3am as if it was noon.
Of a city that never sleeps.
Of a people who are more than unique.
New York.
So…. what do you think? Any good?
Did I miss an essential aspect of what makes New York what it is? If so, leave your suggestion in the comments!
Laters,
Tuma
