1941 BORN TO RUN
The last couple of weeks- since I
have been back from N.J.- It’s kind of been surreal to see all the video of the
spots that got washed out in NY/NJ.
As I was watching the news with Henry
on my big screen TV- I kept telling him ‘I was just at that spot’.
For the past 25 years I have been
back to NJ many times- this last trip was the only time I took a tour of the
city [NY]- I have been wanting to do a train/subway ride for the past 10 years-
and simply ride the famous A train and see the city from the top of the tracks.
I got this idea in my head one
year while watching a documentary about NY.
They showed you the history of
the subway/train system- and the idea of a train ride was birthed at that time.
Yet- the last time I was up
north- about 9 years ago- I missed out on the chance.
But this time- I finally did it.
I rode with my friend Patrick- to
the last stop on this particular train- Rockaway beach- Queens.
As we walked the area- we walked right
up to the boardwalk right off the Atlantic ocean.
For some strange reason I felt
like I should walk right up to the ocean and splash some water on my face.
It was the first time I ever
stuck my hand in the Atlantic ocean from the NY area.
Not many days later this very
ocean would engulf the region.
We walked back to Pat’s brother’s
house and had a nice visit for a few hours.
Then back on the train- back to
the crossing where the subway goes under the Hudson and comes out on the Jersey
side.
I took pictures from Rockaway to
the Jersey side- we even saw Hoboken a little- the place I was born.
All of these spots- Rockaway
beach- Hoboken- all the areas I toured- are some of the worst spots that got
wiped out by hurricane Sandy.
It just was a feeling of ‘this
was the last chance tot take the tour- before the storm comes’.
As we were watching the video at
the house- Henry said ‘gee- you were like a messenger of wrath’.
To be honest- that thought came
to me more than once.
I woke up yesterday morning with
the guys still sleeping on the floor in the living room.
I got up early to post and get
some stuff done before they got up.
Dirk- my good friend for years-
got up early too.
He came into my study and told me
he just had a dream- and he felt it was from God.
Now- with all of my friend’s
problems and struggles- I know at times they have said things that are significant-
that have meaning.
I was writing about some of the political
things with Governor Christie- I of course have written about the storm- and in
my office I have all types of world maps and stuff- plus a huge poster of NYC-
and Jersey maps.
It just gives a sense of being in
a ‘larger’ place.
Dirk begins telling me the dream-
he says they were all at some place- and they had a friend that was- well-
going to shoot himself.
He had a gun that was on a timer-
and they all tried to tell him not to do it- but he wouldn’t listen.
Dirk called the gun thing- quote-
‘a suicide machine’.
He said after they left- the
timer went off.
Now- Dirk felt that this dream
meant something.
I told him one of the things that
caught my attention was the phrase ‘suicide machine’.
I asked him if he knew where that
term came from- what famous song.
He did not know.
I told him it was a line from the
state song of NJ.
Springsteen's Born to Run.
‘mansions of glory … in the
suicide machine’.
I told Dirk I have been writing
about governor Christie [who has been to about 150 Boss concerts].
I have been thinking about-
praying for NJ the past few weeks.
I have been back from the tour- riding
the subway [machine] right before the storm hit.
That in many ways this dream has
significance.
Next week we vote for the next
president- I don’t know who will win.
One of my friends- who is on
welfare- lives in public housing- gets a disability check [though he is in
better shape than me].
He asked me who I was supporting.
I told him I don’t hate Obama- or
love Romney- but just as a matter of the past 4 years- I am supporting Romney.
My friend said ‘no- he will take
away my check’.
I think it was DeToquville who
said that a Democracy will only last long enough until one party starts giving
away free stuff and the majority of the people just vote for the free stuff.
Yeah- at that point we are all on
a suicide machine.
Note- Do me a favor, those who
read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read
them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to scroll down on the timeline [Facebook] -
I have posted lots.
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