civilized ku # 281-84 ~ NYC's finest
Monday, November 30, 2009 at 11:13AM 
Hugo ~ Central Park Zoo, NYC • click to embiggen
East > west ~ Central Park, NYC • click to embiggenI am definitely not one who enjoys big crowds - 3,500,000 people is a big crowd - so my notion of taking Hugo to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was potentially fraught with peril or, at least, frustration and aggravation. However, sometimes plunging ahead despite one's misgivings works out just fine.
By entering NYC (via the GW bridge) and proceeding down the FDR on the eastside, we were able to make it to E65th without a single momentary delay. Once there, it was into a parking garage, a walk straight across 65th to Central Park West and, voila, there we were - right on the parade route albeit behind a 7' granite block wall that runs along the park boundary and the Central Park West sidewalk. All other normal access to the sidewalk was cordoned off.
Just for the hell of it, I hoisted Hugo up onto the top of the wall so he could see what was what (the parade had not yet begun). In addition to what must have seemed like a zillion people, Hugo was face to face with a (as it turned out) kindly Puerto Rican gentleman, who, peering over the edge, offered to help hoist me up and over the wall.
So, after soothing Hugo's where's-grandpa-I'll-never-see-my-family-and-friends-again anxiety attack, a failed attempt was made to get my ass up there. Within a few seconds, another person approached me from behind and as he lifted and the other person pulled and I squirmed and wiggled as much as anyone can under such conditions, I got my upper torso on top of the wall where I managed to land ribs-first on my camera bag's belt buckle - ouch.
That said, after giving up the body for the kid, there we were with a great ringside seat - well, not exactly a seat ... the Puerto Rican gentleman and his family had snagged a sidewalk bench to stand on and there was just enough space on it, which they invited us to share, for me and Hugo.
After seeing most of what there was to see, parade-wise, Hugo decided it was time to leave. After trying to get back into the park via a "normal" route - did I mentioned that all entrances were cordoned off? - it became apparent that the over-the-wall procedure would have to be undertaken once again. No way was I going over the 7' section so we were able to find a a lower section where, once again, I handed Hugo over it to a kindly black woman and over I went unassisted.
Now here the interesting thing about all of this - both over-the-wall events required that I hand my Olympus E-3 (with battery grip), not to mention the kid, to a bystander while I squirmed, wiggled, and otherwise embarrassed myself in getting over the wall.
Call me a fool, but I didn't hesitate for a moment in handing over either the camera or the kid to complete strangers. And guess what, smiles and thanks from all the participants was the order of the day. It really was a nice feeling to experience that in what many might consider to be a rather uptight situation.
Once over the wall, we walked back across the park to the parking garage where we paid our $60 parking fee to a ultra-friendly Russian attendant - when Hugo handed him the ticket, he would only deal with him when it came to payment - and left the city after a great friendly multi-cultural experience that we will remember for years to come.
Reader Comments (7)
Can I tell you how little Brandy (Hugo's mom) enjoyed that story.
Undoubtedly, she was worried about the camera...
See, I told you NYC ain't so bad. We actually have nice people down here. It's easy to find them, all you have to do is SMILE!
With so many crazy things going on in the world, this is a great story.
Isn't it nice to know that the world isn't quite as frightening as it might seem, were "the media" one's only source?
Human beings can be surprisingly charming.
What an off th wall story.
Uhhh ... 60$ PARKING FEE?????? Are they completely crazy? I can't believe it. Tell me it isn't true, please tell me.