It’s an interesting experience, walking into the dark zone here in the evening. I was around Madison and 30th last night when I noticed how dark it was. The only lights are mobile — headlights on cars, and bobbing flashlights and cellphones on people. The striking thing in that area is the fact that the buildings are tall and they’re totally dark. It’s like walking through a forest, particularly on side streets, where headlight beams play off the walls of buildings like they do with tall trees at night.
Walking further south, past residential buildings, I started to notice candles and flashlights in windows. Busy intersections get dicey for pedestrians — no traffic lights or street lights, and cars moving quickly, so people move in pods and flick flashlights back and forth so cars can see.
Coming down into my corner of the east village, I was surprised how unrecognizable it was. The defining features — restaurants, bars, shops — are virtually invisible. Groups of shadowy figures walk around. I was thinking they looked ominous and Halloween-appropriate, until I heard one of them enthusiastically say “this is the coolest fucking thing I’ve ever seen!” Nyu students.
On 2nd ave, I saw a crowd of 30 people gathered in front of a neighborhood organic grocer. On closer inspection, I saw that the store was giving away all of its produce before it went bad. People walked away with sacks of kale and broccoli.
Cell reception has, for me, completely disappeared in my neighborhood. So I feel cut off from everything when at home. I read the Steve jobs biography by candlelight last night — cranberry candlelight. No more hot water this morning, but my gas oven works, so I boiled up water with that and improvised a sponge bath.
This morning I am at a Starbucks in chelsea, charging up my iPad. There is a group of 9 people here all connected to a web of extension cords. As always in NYC, I’m impressed by all the little ways people take care of each other. Like right here, in the Starbucks, the extension cord I’m plugged into was brought by the people sitting across from me. Someone just asked “Does anyone need power? My laptop is charged now.” People are trading rumors about when the power will come back on — the consensus is Saturday.
No one is in costume and no one is talking about Halloween at all.
I have no idea what’s happening in the news, haven’t checked news at all the past few days because I’ve been trying to conserve batteries. It’s kind of nice actually, being cut off from the constant wash of information. With no Internet at home and no cell reception, I’m freed from the urge to constantly check for updates. It’s relaxing to sit and read by candlelight.
foiblish 