Y'know, New Yorkers have to be the greatest people on earth!
The city seemed much as it always does, except for profusion of American flags everywhere. The subways were crowded although the street crowds seemed smaller. People seemd upbeat and carrying on as usual
I didn't go below 19th Street, though. I hear that farther downtown, things are still pretty hairy.
There are impromptu shrines and bulletin boards everywhere. In my old neighborhood, on a corner near a park, a makeshift shrine combines Gaelic pride and Caribbean spirituality. Botanica votive candles glow in front of Irish flags, floral offerings and handwritten praise for the police and fire departments.
Especially heart-rending are the flyers that just a few days ago sought information on missing loved ones. Now they are funeral rememberances, fragile tombstones for those who may never receive a proper burial. The names of the missing reflect the rich ethnic stew that makes New York special -- Moreno and, yes, Monaghan, although he is no relation.
Make no mistake. New York is still there, still strong, still proud, still the greatest city on earth.
