Luke’s experience with New York in 1987 was very like his experience when he’d visited the previous year with Lani. He wasn’t a New Yorker by any stretch of the imagination; he was still a tourist, gawking at famous landmarks and studying the paper map and NYC guidebook he carried in his backpack. He was impressed by the size of the World Trade Center towers, but did not think they were beautiful the way the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge were. He ate a pizza slice at The Original Ray’s on Sixth Avenue and clam chowder at Grand Central’s Oyster Bar. He bought a Swatch wristwatch from a sidewalk vendor. He stopped and stared into the 5th Ave. shop windows. He didn’t have the courage to go into Tiffany’s but was dazzled by its window display. When a man walked by him with a boom box on his shoulder banging out Los Lobos’ “La Bamba,” he felt an unexpected rush of joy and had to suppress the urge to throw a couple of dance moves. It was the neverending New York vacation, a tour with no itinerary or return ticket.
For my MC, moving to New York City in 1987 is like stepping into a dream. #WIPsnips #sixth #writesky