We had a surprisingly well attended meet up for a summer Sunday. The New Yorkers were tucking in pre-sunset as they were nervous about safety issues in our neighborhoods. Things are getting a bit better with more police presence and with the Guardian Angels in some neighborhoods, but sharp crime increase is still an issue, and this dominated the conversation for the first hour, discussing the relative safety issues across the city. I’ve gotten a bit more comfortable with public transportation and had met friends on the Upper East Side and down in the West Village over the weekend, and I found those neighborhoods were bustling with outdoor dining, some posh eateries with more tables outside than they had inside so reservations were more easily obtained. The other neighborhoods felt a bit safer than the Upper West Side, and went I came home I was harassed for a frightening moment by a guy wobbling down the sidewalk toward me on a Citibike. One of our regulars said they’re read one of the shelter guys had gotten caught stealing a Citibike, so maybe it was the guy. In any case, people were nervous. The second hour more cheerfully veered to shows we watch, clothes we wear, and pandemic survival skills in general.
Sunday, August 23: Sunday Funday
