Park Avenue Flamingos
Returning from an event on the east side of Manhattan, I thought I’d stop at one of my favorite stores to see what was new. I turned onto Park Avenue, and as I was stuck in traffic, my eyes wandered to the corner restaurant. A new Greek place with a phonetic spelling of gyro stands right there. I was enjoying the bright colored sign on a cold, gray day, when I noticed the flamingoes in the window just above.
On a drive where I saw a crazy woman running down the middle of Lexington, screaming the ‘f’ word over and over, and gesturing indecently at all drivers, an ambulance that hurtled across six lanes of traffic to come to a screeching halt in front of me, and a traffic cop who not only hated me, but hated all of humanity, the planets, the stars and the universe, it was lovely to see the flamingoes.
It is a dark little corner apartment, on the 2nd or 3rd floor. There were no lights on inside, no signs of life – just the flamingoes, peering out at the dreary drizzle. I imagine the resident is a fun, hopeful, optimistic person. Maybe from Florida? Maybe from the land of the flamingos? Maybe they are hoping to return again soon, or maybe they’re living their dream of making it in New York City. Whatever they’re doing, I wish them the very best, and thank them for a bright spot in my commute. And I sort of envy the yummy smells that must waft into their apartment from the restaurant below.
This morning, I woke up to a thick fog over the Hudson, and then it cleared into a reasonably warm day, and tonight the rain has decided to come down in earnest. It is warm enough that I can have my sliding glass door open to smell the deliciousness and listen to the lovely sounds of spring.
In Arthur news, he has been spending the weekends here in New Jersey, in my sanctuary. He loves the big, metal bowl and the whisk, the spatula and the wooden spoons. He also loves the cupcake pans (which are soft silicone), and the donut pans. Is there a future chef in our midst? Who knows? The possibilities are endless, as he easily masters whatever is put before him. What a smart, beautiful, creative young man! I couldn’t love him more.
