I wake up, for the fourth day in a row, to helicopters hovering over the New York harbor. Heightened security. Because the world is angry. And we pretend we are prepared.
Two young boys run with bombs strapped to their backs. Boston, a city I love, have lived in, where people I love still live, empties itself of all its life, forced behind closed doors. There’s a manhunt on the streets. The stuff of Hollywood thrillers. But this is real life.
I ride my bicycle through the streets of Mahnhattan and a cab driver rolls down his window just to shout, for no reason, to tell me to get the f*** off the road. When I ask, out loud, confused, from my seat, in the wind, on the pavement, in this place I live and ride and love, are you kidding me? He says, firm, confident, I am not f***ing kidding you.
No one is kidding anyone.
These are serious times. The world is angry. And it hurts to watch.
It *does* hurt. My heart has been in a constant state of ache as much as cities have been in constant state of alert. I really have no words other than I hear you, Melissa.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully said. For all of us.
ReplyDeleteSo very accurate and painful. I fear to turn on the news.
ReplyDeleteOh man, I hear you. So much anger everywhere...the cab driver. It does hurt to watch.
ReplyDeleteYes, it does hurt. Especially when I see pictures of that 8-yr-old boy, Martin Richard, the youngest victim of the Boston Marathon bombings. God, that hurts.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true and so well put, Melissa. But there is joy too, in the way people rushed to help others the day of the bombings, instead of running the other way. That's what we need to remember.
That taxi driver needs to mind his own business... everything hurts more when it's close to home but I commend you for getting out and enjoying your freedom... I have never lived anywhere that is so violent... we can't blame foreigners from other lands for the violence, it happens with people born and bred of the same land... whats to become of the once greatest nation on the planet, time will tell, but somehow I think people riding their bikes on the weekend will be a lot better for it than people in taxi's yelling 'get off the streets' I hope your pain eases soon, i hope nobody ever has to feel what you are feeling ever again.
ReplyDelete