Page 204 - People & Places In Time

The winter of 1979-80 seemed cold in midtown Manhattan. Now, of course I had no point of reference, this being my first trip and having been familiar only with life in California for the most part and not cold weather. During my first week in town, the daytime temperatures stayed around five degrees. Even as the temperature warmed it always seemed cold. Once I had the right clothes, it became doable.
Living across 59th Street from Central Park offered an unexpected respite to the granite and concrete canyons surrounding the park. Not always, but on some evenings after work I put on warm sweat clothes and went for a run in the dark though street lit park. Running alone over the snow-covered landscape, hearing
my footsteps crunch along the tamped down paths, offered a stark contrast to the muted sounds of the city, a short distance away. The lighted buildings shown through the bare tree branches, reflecting off the snow, but your just
enough removed, to imagine that you could be somewhere
further away. . . . in a distant wood.
It was Lincoln’s birthday weekend when I awoke on a Saturday morning and walked to the window; looking down onto Sixth Avenue I could see snow, , , lots of snow, sixteen inches had fallen during the night. Enough had fallen to keep most activity off the streets, no taxies, no trucks and most people. Something did catch my eye and that was a couple of people on cross country skis headed into the park.
Hurriedly dressing, grabbing some coffee and a pastry in the lobby I headed across the street, into the park to con- front a site I could not have imagined in the city, just outside my front door. People gradually left the surrounding apartment buildings, filtering into this wonderland. Children built snow- men, others were sledding down the modest slopes available and later in the morning the ice rink was cleared for ice skating. New Yorkers, I think, like ice skating; there are two large rinks in Central Park and of course the rink at Rockefeller Center, a popular rink at Bryant Park and there must be others around the city I’m not aware.
There’s one occasion I recall, during one particularly
cold afternoon, not so long after having arrived. I was walking
into the park with snow gently falling, the peaceful scene made it so easy to continue further from the hotel Central Park is quite large. Soon, I became aware of just how cold I was feeling. It occurred to me, that months from now, during Spring, I would be found face down off the path, frozen stiff; no one had missed me. Then, someone would wonder, about the stupid guy from California who ventured into the park not properly dressed for a winter walk. Luckily, I saw a light through the snow across a broad meadow and pushed forward. I had stumbled onto the Tavern on the Green.
It was late afternoon and there were only a few employees as I asked if the bar was open and which way. Thus, my life spared by a comforting hot toddy; eventually find- ing the way back to my hotel room.
The World Trade Center plaza prior to 9/11 terrorist attack.
The fountain and sculpture at the trade center following the attack.
Central Park path during an evening snow storm.
Tavern on the Green restaurant in Central Park.
Never forget this attack cost the lives of over 2,700 people as these buildings colapsed, and many other firemen and rescue workers, as time has passed.
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