Apropos of today’s posting
on life in New York now and after 9/11, a friend writes:
1. I went last night to dinner ten blocks from the stock exchange. then I walked down to see how much security there was. not that much! a few trucks. a few police cars. The tunnels were all open, the FDR full like on a Sun night. In new york last night from 6p to midnight I saw all the traffic and people on the streets shopping and eating in outdoor restaurants and thought: we ARE getting like Israelis, no one’s scared if someone’s gonna blow up a building. A nuke would scare them — but then nukes scare Israelis.
2. I never wanted to be an Israeli!
3. I find the past few months I’m thinking of the scene late in the book “On the Beach,” maybe the movie too. It’s when the radiation cloud or whatever is coming, and everyone in Australia decides to go do what they love — they’re all at fishing camps and camping out. And they’re singing raucous songs — Waltzing Matilda. In a little way we’re like that — a lot of people are trying to have more fun and take deeper pleasure — but it lacks that desperate/frantic quality in “On the Beach,” thank goodness.
I agree. Back then, life here had an edge to it, even at the most tender and poignant moments. Now it doesn’t–yet.