I grew up in Queens NY and went to The New Lincoln School on East 76th for High School. When I was a kid I loved Manhattan and I still do. Of all of the people to move to rural Vermont I would not have expected it to be me. I loved the subway, the crush of people, the floors which coated your book bag in filth, the inaudible directions over the loud speaker. I loved that you had to know the subway or you were dead. There were no directions, the signs were ripped down or gratified over. The map was like interpreting sanskrit. There were at least two ways to get anywhere. You couldn’t get anywhere without knowing the subway. I was always lost where I lived but I learned.

You had to know who not to look at. You had to know where not to sit. If there was no one in a certain section it was probably because some one had puked. Now you’re out on the street and the wind blows harder in NY. It seriously does. It’s colder in the winter and warmer in the summer. That’s because everyone walks in NY. They actually feel the elements. People flood the street. It’s hard to walk next to someone.

I loved being tough and New York was about toughness. As a kid I was independent. From my early years I went where I wanted when I wanted. I did not want or need to learn how to drive until college. I would either walk or skateboard. I remember flying down park avenue on my skateboard holding my huge ovation case on my way to the subway home. Yeah, forget the local. Skate to 59th St. and get the N under the East River. Home for guitar in front of the TV. Man I owned that town.
- posted by danvt @ 1:19 PM