Suddenly I saw the bus I had been waiting for. The Co-op City Express Bus, my savior from the madness of a New York City blackout. I stood on the long line of people who had the same idea as I, and as the bus drew closer, began to notice that it was packed to the rafters. The bus went right by without stopping, the driver waving off anyone that came near!
Great.
After several more buses going by without stopping, I realized I was looking at one of two things: A walk down to 23rd street and Madison, the embarkation point of the bus, and wait there. More than likely there would be a mile long line down there and a long ass wait.
The second option I didn't look forward to. A long walk back to The Bronx. Almost 17 miles. In the heat of the sun, with millions of others, who were now heading en masse in two different directions. South and North.
I decided to give 23rd street a shot. I walked pretty leisurely, people watching at the same time, listening to the radio too. TV cameras were everywhere, and reporters were interviewing anyone on the street. Tourists were taking photos aplenty of all of us New Yorkers heading home.
Then I heard over the radio that the mayor ordered certain bridges entering Manhattan shut down. Vehicles were being allowed out, but not into the city. That would mean that the returning buses from Co-Op City wouldn't be allowed to enter in to pick up more passengers.
I then knew what my only real option was. I looked down at my feet. They obediently held my body up quietly as I stared at them, covered in Blundstone Australian leather.
I wondered inside if they were ready. They'd better be!
Time to walk.
I took my time, working my way past the jam packed streets towards First Avenue, for a straight shot right up the right side of Manhattan. As I walked I began to notice I was following a stream of people - millions of them, all having the same idea.
As I walked up First Avenue, I saw that the bars and pubs were stuffed with people - all office types, who obviously thought that it was time to celebrate the fact that we were all in the midst of New York's latest blackout, the first of the 21st Century. I thought of joining them all for a drink or two, but decided against it. Walking up First Avenue drunk and dehydrated in that heat and humidity was asking for a good case of heat exhaustion.
I listened to the radio as I trudged along. The reporters at 1010 WINS were saying that everyone on the street was acting giddy, being very friendly. It was true. Everyone spoke to one another as if they were good friends, and I did the same. Giving encouragement to each other, the sea of people I followed up the street continued, foot after foot of Manhattan Island uptown.
The reporters on the news said that there were New Yorkers that were all of the sudden becoming 'street corner traffic cops.' They were right again. As I approached 63rd street, amongst the sea of jammed cars was a lone old man, looking drunk as a skunk, trying to direct traffic.
I stood behind two young women looking at him on the corner. He was acting as if he was conducting a symphony, both arms waving around to the north and west bound traffic to enter the intersection at intervals.
His plan worked. Slowly but surely, the cars were going by in a distinct order, thanks to this old geezer, who seemingly stumbled a bit if he whirled around too quickly.
With the dimming sunlight cooking the atmosphere around us, I plodded on. The heat was especially atrocious when I got to 96th Street. The heat generated from the slow moving cars and buses was appalling. Combined with the humidity and hot exhaust of the vehicles, it was just choking.
There was a woman standing on the corner next to me. She was really good looking, in a slinky dress and high heels. She looked like the secretary of some high powered lawyer. She didn't look exhausted, just really fed up with everything. She suddenly raised her arm in the air, trying to hail a cab. TRYING TO HAIL A CAB?? The heat really must've got to this woman. Nobody was going to stop and pick anyone up around here, let alone a cab. Every car that went by was packed with people, and traffic was at a crawl.
By the time I hit 125th street, I was in a good stride. I figured I'd be home by 10 o'clock, it being somewhere around 7pm by then. I felt really good, kept drinking water and kept plugging along. Overall it was enjoyable, believe it or not. The entire feeling of this little romp was that it was a kinda group test, and the thousands of us laughed and kidded around as we went knowing that this experience was probably going to be something we'd all remember for the rest of our lives as being very unique for such a city as our own.
By the time I hit the Hunts Point area of the South Bronx, the sun was almost totally gone. It was now almost 8pm, and now that I knew I was in an area where I could take some local buses back to my general hood of The Bronx, thought I'd jump on one as soon as I got the chance.
The whole area of Hunts Point was bustling with people coming in from the walk from Manhattan. Street cops directed traffic which was congested everywhere. The lines waiting for the local buses weren't bad at all though, and while I stood there people I had passed back in Manhattan began arriving. Laughing like old friends, we all greeted one another asking if we all had blisters or if we were beaten from the walk. As we all got on the air conditioned bus we were greeted by congratulations from the bus driver, and the bus ride being free for everyone. A welcome relief from such a stroll!
As the bus passed through J-Lo's old hood of Castle Hill, the lights suddenly came on in the area! Cheering erupted throughout the bus as we all acted as if the New York Jets just won the Superbowl. The young woman I had been chatting to let out a big sigh of relief next to me, for she was worried about the food in her fridge and how she was going to feed her kids. As she jumped up to leave the bus in her area bathed in street light, I immediately thought of the luxuries that we all took for granted - a hot shower to wash off the grit and grime, cooking some dinner for myself and especially AIR CONDITIONING to relax me from this event! I quickly put on my radio and heard 1010 WINS say that parts of the Bronx had electricity restored. I really hoped my hood was included in that!
But as we rounded a corner sometime later, everyone in the bus craned their necks to see the apartment buildings of Co-Op City...BLACK. Pitch black. I laid back in my chair and moaned loudly with everyone else as if we just saw our Jets miss a tie breaking field goal.
Ugh. I knew right then and there that the juice supplying my hood wouldn't get restored until the next day. The simple life conveniences would have to wait.
Indeed.
I awoke the next day a little sore from my little walk, but with the electricity restored. My feet feeling fine, I examined them anyway for any problems and found one remnant from my walk - a small blister on my right middle toe. I laughed when I saw it. It was so tiny and wasn't serious at all. A welcome memento from a walk that I will always remember when people ask me, Where were you when the lights went out in 2003?