The Treehouse + The Cave


The Treehouse + The Cave: Sidewalking <body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d9561264\x26blogName\x3dThe+Treehouse+%2B+The+Cave\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dBLACK\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://thetreehouseandthecave.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den_US\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://thetreehouseandthecave.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d-2611371644715887499', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script>

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Sidewalking

Sidewalking

New York forces you to walk. Not just walk, but walk everywhere. Walk fast. It demands the dodging of lofted umbrellas, hopping of invisible puddles and the cutting off of glacially-paced tourists. Traveling takes on the tone of a sport, for me and most everyone else, supported by a constant personal soundtrack. Floating up subway stairs, two at a time, to a beat at just the right BPM is a pleasure and a vice.

I take my private journeys too seriously, moving faster than even the crazy folks. Turning corners as tightly as possible, sacrificing the chance of interpersonal collision for a few less steps at the end of the day. I aim for efficiency, and am satisfied if I can refine my trajectories. I'll memorize which pillar to stand next to on my departing platform so that when I get in the train I'm in the right car, knowing that when I arrive at my desired station, the doors will open in perfect alignment with the stairs. I'm always the first out of the train, the first one in the pack, and the faster I move, the farther the crowd gets, further fueling, aiding my momentum.

I step carefully even as I near a sprint, wary since childhood of seams in the marble, cracks in the concrete. I avoid them, not all of the time, but most. Certainly when I'm alone. Stepping often with toes only, if the substrate becomes divided into too fine a grid. I enjoy the dance, less burdened by it then you might expect. It's one more piece of information for me to process, to rapidly conquer.

Is it strange to enjoy the crush that weighs most down? Strange to smile at success within the structure? Should I turn a routine often invisiblized to maintain sanity by my fellow New Yorkers, into intellectual (and in the end, physical) exercise? One that enables me so?

Blogger Pragmatik thought:

You take some very fine photos. Been meaning to say that for some time now.

March 3, 2005 at 5:44 PM - Comment Permalink  
Blogger Andy thought:

Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.

A.

March 3, 2005 at 5:52 PM - Comment Permalink  
Blogger amber, theambershow thought:

you just beautifully described my experience in New York. (I'm moving in June and working there now.)

March 6, 2005 at 11:26 AM - Comment Permalink  

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