Part 4:: 5 days after Hurricane Sandy

That next day I just enjoyed the sense of freedom I'd given myself. It had been about 3 months since I started this deal with the other driver and that garage for a taxi rental for 7 days a week. I took off occasionally, and I occasionally lost money. But this was the first day in that long, that I could do everything and know that I wasn't losing money just by breathing, breathing outside of a big yellow Ford.

So that first day, A friday, I sat in my apartment with my sister and we just both lounged around separate computers, the television, the radio, the internet. And the over abundance of heat coupled with our strange sleeping schedule, remember I had to take her to Manhattan at 3am one day, because that was the start of my day, so we both wound up sleeping at 6 pm and waking up at midnight regularly. The power and working water eventually came back to my mom's house that day at about 8pm, and it also came back in my dad's house too, which was within walking distance of my mom's.

We came back then to Manhattan the next day, when the trains in Brooklyn almost got to the city. They had worked out a system where one train line could work from my house, rather than two, and that train could get to downtown Brooklyn, where we would be transferred to a city bus that drove all the way up town on one avenue, bringing all the refugees into uptown grounds.

Soon enough though, all the train lines would work, with exception of the 1 train in downtown. It took a few days after this, but eventually all the tunnels got drained, and then all the driving tunnels got drained, and soon enough everything was as if nothing had ever happened, well not unless you wanted to drive your car with no gas to a place called Staten Island or Breezy point. Manhattan was running again.

Here's a few storm reminders left in Manhattan on friday:

Gramercy - 20th Street and 3rd Avenue

A tree had fallen by a bar around the corner from the private park. Seeming safe enough, a young family that yearned for a dose of nature straightened up the mess with their child in a stroller. It was probably the only place they could stop without being in someone's way.

And next to that fallen tree, another fallen tree.

Manhattan, Stuyvesant Town -

20th Street

In Stuyvesant Town, they take care of their trees. Chopping it up into nice chunks, so it wouldn't be in anyone's way.

The cars on 20th Street for quite aways, didn't fare that well though. While at a quick glance you wouldn't notice; a closer investigation would show significant damages. This 2004-ish Honda Accord Coupe had a broken side window and wooden sticks and twigs all over the interior of the car. No doubt the whole thing was flooded and un-driveable, or at least, smelly.

When me and my father looked into every car, it became clear that they were all done. Most looked perfect on the outside, but then when you peered inside, everybody's center armrest was tipped up. My dad suggested that the water must have pushed the armrest up when it flooded the cars.

This next car along with some others, showed a water line, where the water had once stopped at for quit some time. This car was about 975ft from the river (just under 300 meters). 

Well that was all, the rest was watching the city fall back into it's paces, amongst working street lights, and open business downtown again. It was a good feeling, and I drew up a checklist of things I wanted if I were to start driving a taxi again, some of it involves fantasy, like buying a car to get me to the garage, and also I tried to remember the list I was already working on just a week before on what other jobs I may think about as well. I'm still trying to pull money out of every crevasse I can, you never know where it may turn up next. And I already went on a photo walk with my friends, you know? the kind of walk where you spend time thinking in wonder about every apartment you see, because you have time to think, and the kind of walk where you examine how light falls on every different surface of every building / light post / sidewalk?? 

There is a downside in all of this. In all this wonder in everything around, the kind of wonder that comes from taking the time to remember that there is depth in everything, well you.... I rather, I then need company, or something all the time, and people are busy, with their own things, jobs, family, whatever, oh and money, everyone needs to save money, and they covet this weird thing called sleep. I sleep all the time, but it's when i get tired, I usually get tired when the sun comes up.. 

I say things are still seeming good, and profoundish, I'll get a job soon, something that fits my life, something where I don't have to adhere to everyone else's schedule, where I'm just expected to do my share, but where I can take off if some sort of friend priority takes over, because I don't want to miss a day with the people who always take the time to call me, and make plans, no matter how intense my schedule was, I always had some people who would make time for me, so it would be the least I could do. If you ever find yourself in an angry family moment, you should probably remember that they did make time to have you, and so no matter how annoying your family or friends can be, at least they are there for you, and how many people can you really depend on for that. There, for your thanksgiving I gave you a side of corny mushy goo, it's true.

Happy thanksgiving - part 3 is also posted right below this one