A customer/friend and silver Street Machine Gte-rider who lives in the Village wrote me about his experience during Tropical Storm Sandy.
Reprinted with permission.
Subject: Surge Tales
From: I—@aol.com
Date: Sun, November 4, 2012 9:10 pm
11/4/12
Dear Friends:
I trust that those of you in the path of Sandy’s fury, as well as your family and friends, are all well and safe.
I’ve survived the week in relatively decent shape – experiencing what many of us, especially those in the blackout zone below 26th St. (on the West Side) have: the hurricane itself, followed by cold days and dark nights, no hot water, electricity, light, TV, radio, internet, or cellphones. Of course sadly, many in and beyond the city, have suffered far more grievous harm.
Monday afternoon, I decided to venture out and see the roiling Hudson. Everything seemed OK until, at Washington St. a powerful gust more or less plastered me against the side of a building. I thought better of it and headed home.
After a day, I packed a knapsack and hiked up to midtown, in the illusory expectation that there were hotel rooms to be had. I soon realized there were none in all of Manhattan. What I did however chance upon, was a coffee shop in the Westin Hotel at 43rd and 8th. It offered all the basic necessities of life – espresso, central heating, light, well-appointed restrooms, newspapers, and last but not least, numerous outlets for charging my iPad and phone. A number of other downtown refugees also spent their days camped out at Bar 10 for the duration.
Every evening I would hike back downtown, to check in on a neighborhood friend, and to sleep as best I could in my own cold, dark apartment. In the absence of light, I fell into a pattern of going to sleep at around 9. In the morning, I couldn’t wait to get out when the sun rose at 7, and make my way back to my warm midtown haven.
All in all, for me, a trying but ironically interesting experience. For too many others a terrible tragedy. The modest light at my bedside never looked as good as when it suddenly flickered on at around 6 Saturday
morning.
Warm regards to all,
Izzy
# # #
Stay well, all,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson