ManicDDaily

One bummer of living in downtown New York City is that any return home, after time away, necessitates a confrontation with a grim political past, i.e. the old World Trade Center site.

When walking past Ground Zero on a daily basis–late to work, late coming home from work–it is easy enough to pay little attention to it. There are the windows of Brooks Brothers, for example, a store I never seem to enter, but always think I should. (I have this belief–never tries–that if I would just buy a few quality pieces that, unlike all the clothes I get online, really fit, I would never be late for anything again.)

Then there is Century 21 whose sidewalk is jammed with people carrying large bags.

And the fire station. Which is distracting because New York City firemen really are quite good looking. (The calendar doesn’t lie.)

Then there are the streets down by the excavation of the old Deutsch Bank building–they are distracting because I once saw a rat in broad daylight/twilight. Right on the sidewalk.

So on a normal workday, there is plenty to think about other than 9/11.

But on a return from a trip, carrying stuff that makes you walk slowly, it is hard to avoid the sight of all the tourists and, worse, the many cameramen. (One reporter was getting his face powdered today). I am being unfair, I suppose, but the energy feels remarkably like rubbernecking. (The powder-faced reporter had a very ostentatiously curled plastic cord snaking behind one ear.)

I will be very happy when this week is over.