Intimacy

Last night- checked another "must do while living in New York" item off the list and walked in the Village Halloween Parade. Loved it. Very fun- everyone was in a very good mood and only a few people were obnoxious. I love massive events that have little to no formal or corporate presence- just regular people dressed up and having fun. You can't tell from the picture, but we were very fuzzy and there was a cord between us. If I had had more time, I might have constructed a giant rear view mirror to hold between us. But I didn't.

The only downside to the event was the "holding" period before it began, during which we were corralled without direction or leadership in a maze of police barricades and I was forced to become very intimate with a shark, an N-train, several butterflies, and a punk-rock Smurfette.

I was willing to take the indignity of this intimacy because it was necessary for the parading. This morning on the 2/3 train, however, I was faced with the same physical closeness to my fellow NYers and it was not as pleasant or bearable. I was already late and then I had to watch two trains come and go that were too crowded to get on, so when the third came I just pushed and shoved myself in. I was immediately faced with the options of a) being spooned by the big man behind me, b) spooning the big man in front of me or c) spooning the woman in front of me. Generally I am a fan of spooning, but not in this case, and I opted for the woman just because it felt too dirty to spoon or be spooned by the men and with the woman I felt a little bit of solidarity. Of course, even once I made this decision the mass of people shifted at each stop as more people tried to cram in. Too much closeness. I hate the 2/3 train. I'm thinking about switching my morning commute to the Q/B, but that requires a lot more walking on both ends and it's going to be getting cold soon. Not to mention that walking through Herald Square is a violating nightmare at any time of day.

Effing trains. Maybe if I didn't work for a non-profit I would make enough money to live in the city and then I could walk to work. No, I'm just joking. I would live in bklyn even if I made tons of money.