The cars were moved away. The fire hydrants opened up, creating twin streams of cooling water. I let my cat out to nibble on the grass growing up through the cracked cement in my front yard. Neighbors came out on the street to sweep away the detritus: dead lives, candy wrappers, grocery store flyers. In the end the sky opened up and poured all day -- the first real downpour in weeks and weeks -- so the block party didn't really happen, though you could almost hear the trees on the block sighing with relief. Later there was salsa music and old-school hiphop in the rain. There were laughing kids playing stickball, drenched to the skin. And for a moment, there was tranquil bliss. Welcome to Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
(Click on the photo to see it larger)
my apartment is in a WWII army barracks that was converted to housing for grad students in the area. they've done a nice job keeping it up. lots of families with a parent or two in grad school live here, too. the kids always come out to play in the rain, and since we have a lot of trees, they always get filthy with all the brush around. it's a nice reminder of childhood for me. this was nice to read, ish. thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhereabouts do you live, freebones?
ReplyDelete