Ticket to the moon: New York is the pinnacle of life

New York is a city of love. In Brooklyn, it’s even painted on the walls: Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way. Fellow citizens will be happy to help you if you are literally lost. “And who are you? And where are you from? And we are so happy to meet you!” That too is New York. Hope, optimism and commitment. Take the cooperative store that goes against the great industrial powers: local produce, local farmers markets too, where you can even take your vegetable waste for composting. On the market I bought electricity from Green Mountain Energy.

When I stand on the corner of my New York street, that vibrant life, that goes on day and night, fascinates me. The police and fire trucks that drive by with their sirens blaring, the cars with their ghetto blasters where hip-hop whips you up at night. I see yellow people, white people, mulattos, mestizos, gays, transgenders strolling down my street. No one to notice. I see whores shouting, I see poor people like Abraham from Trinidad begging for a bagel. I see hipster guys with their long beards, I see cool girls with their Dr. Martens shoes, their lumberjack shirts and their shorts that are way too short. I smell the weed in my street, I see the drinkers waddling their brown bags, the peeing in public. Amazement is my portion every day. I often pinch myself in the cheek.

The tinder addiction of many New Yorkers is terrible. There is so much craving for a little contact. Tinder leads to sex very often and quickly in New York. Sex is easy to get in this town. As an efficient medicine against coldness and loneliness. Merge in New York’s aquarium of loneliness. There’s some swiping going on in this town. New Yorkers aren’t too inhibited either. Compliment her beautiful pumps or her sneakers, and you’ve already won. So I know that about those swiping New Yorkers. It’s easy for men here. There are many more women than men, so women can’t be too picky. You see so much in New York. And the more you see, the less you sometimes know.

New York has a reputation in many areas one night stand-mentality. They prefer to have their food delivered to their home. They order their clothes and their books online. Everything Amazon. The courier services are engulfing in work. Every day my downstairs aisle is littered with packages for residents. Takeaway, takeout, takeaway love. Ordered quickly, and if not satisfied: return to sender.

–