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The Wedding

Today is the wedding day. Anat and Dan have been waiting for a long time. But the wait was to plan the perfect wedding. No, Anat never called her parents to say she was engaged. She cried that her grandmother wasn’t around to with her. But she knew she is watching over her.

The outdoor setting looked beautiful. Dead flowers wall all over. Most guests arrived in all black. The photographers were taking photos of Anat and Dan. Both were wearing black. As was Jerry, the ring bearer. Marc was perched up in a tree, Alana was walking the venue. Jen was so happy she made amends with Anat and was in the wedding party.

The wedding party started walking into a medley of Bauhaus, the Cure and the Sisters of Mercy. Anat walked down the aisle by herself. She knew she had no one to give her away. Her parents gave her away at birth. Joy Division’s “Love will Tear Us Apart,” followed by “She’s Lost Control,” ushered her in. She looked at Dan, whose parents walked with him to Depeche Mode’s, “Somebody.” The rabbi began the ceremony. The glass was broken. They kissed and the festivities started.

Drinks were poured. Photos were shot. Finger food was munched on. Despite Marc’s special request, liver was not served. Not that’d he would have dined on it. Jerry was all smiles with his family. He knew he’d be okay. He wanted a sister. He figured they’d find her in Prospect or Central Parks. Cute he is.

The bell rung to go to the formal dining setting. Black tablecloths, plates adorned the tables. Alana was sipping Kishor red. Marc was still in his tree. He heard a noise. He was in the distance the extra calvary standing guard in the background. A herd of might bison were now present.

Even if Jay came to destroy the wedding the bison would have him for dinner.

Jerry fights dad

erry and Ben were playing in Central Park. Jen was watching the kids. Anat was meeting with the florist. She didn’t want live flowers. The bride to be wanted dead ones. She thought live flowers would be too colorful. Dan’s mom loved her. She knows she is strange. They had a sit-down and said she wouldn’t be an overbearing mother-in-law. But she should at least have colorful flowers. She gave into Anat’s demands of a black wedding dress. Anat wouldn’t kid anyone. Young and innocent she was not, far from that.

Jerry was riding his bike. He and Ben were racing. They were keeping up with each other. As Jerry turned a corner, Jay was waiting. Jerry got blasted in the face with glass. Most of it shattered from impact. He only got a few nicks. Jay went after Ben.

Jerry knew all about Jay. He was happy to be away with him. He knows Anat loves and will do anything for him. She already proved that many times over. He, at a young age, understands how he changed her. Jay was chasing after the kids on his skates. Jerry fired green and black olives at Jay’s eyes. He landed several right into his biological dad’s left eye. Jerry aimed for Jay’s wheels. Direct hit. Jay started to slide. Meanwhile, Jen was trying to keep with this mess. She was screaming at the boys to pedal toward her while Jay slid into a tree.

Jen caught up to the two kids and texted Anat, Alana and Marc. Anat raced out of the florist and headed to the park. The other two were still in camp. They were getting ready to head home. But Marc couldn’t leave.

Marc sinks into a depression

Marc was thrilled to see the Woodsman. He knows his words speak many truths. Yet Marc was so depressed. Here he was in his childhood home and now it was just barren land.

Alana put her arms around him. She felt his pain. She knows as brutal and cold as his, he will always crumble when things happen to his home. She remembered when they tore down the original Yankee Stadium. He went there and prayed at its ruins. Whenever he visits the new Stadium, he walks the park’s grounds where the House that Ruth Built sat.

In his mind, Marc was contemplating his next course of action. Most important, he had to do something that would make the Woodsman proud. He walked the trails up to a window that is quite picturesque. He took in the view and traveled a little further toward a cliff. Here were the ruins of former cabins, a dining hall and a latrine. It has been a long process, but this place has been made smaller and smaller through the years.

His iPhone buzzed. It was Anat. She wanted to know how he was doing. Alana called her. It’s amazing how the three of them became friends after all the fights they had. She said Jay was still bothering her and Jerry, who is getting stronger.

Marc was pleased. He knew he’d have to provide security at her wedding. Of course, Jen would be there. At this point, he didn’t care. Marc was happy Jen was doing well. He and Alana would go on till the end of time. Probably longer.

Marc Climbs up the steps

The trail

A shaken Marc began climbing the rickety steps to get to the top of his hill. The steps used to be solid mud. Due to the site’s closure, they are overgrown with weeds and other plant life. No one has taken care of this place since 1988. People have visited. Fires have raged. Bears have walked the site. Now Marc is walking with a mission.

Wearing his trusted Timberlands, he hiked to the original site of his leanto and prayed. He went to the cinder blocks that held the Palace. He fell to the floor. He went where the treehouse used to be. He kept hiking. He flashbacked to 1986 when he won the camp top leadership elections all but one week. The kid who beat him was his buddy. He went into the health lodge immediately after winning. By default, Marc assumed the role. When the guy came back from the health lodge, he rested. All was good. They played U2, Depeche Mode and Steely Dan in their leanto. Marc hated Steely Dan. His buddy hates U2 and Depeche Mode. A few leantos away, Metallica blasted.

He walked in the direction of the ‘ole latrine. Long torched. One of his leaders who went in buckets possibly was the last to use this latrine. We will never really know.

Marc has approached the site of the latrine and looking for the tip-pan. Suddenly, the world stopped. He paused. Alana was a few feet behind him. She wanted to give him his space. But she knew he was fragile. She had to watch him.

All was silent. The breeze turned into a stronger wind. The animals stood still. For a mere few seconds, Marc shut his eyes. Upon opening them, he was surrounded by a herd of bison. He fell to his knees. As he hit the ground, he saw the Woodsman.

“Marc, you need to stay strong. You’re one of the last. Forces are trying to destroy the lovely grounds we were raised on. You know I’ve been patrolling this area since the beginning of time. I’ve seen a lot. With your leadership, we will see more. Different, but we survive.”

Marc and Alana take a ride

Marc has been in a state of depression for weeks. Alana played Bauhaus, The Cure, Depeche Mode and the Smiths to cheer him up. Yes, that music is some of the most depressing on Earth. But it helped those two. It helped Anat, too.

The place where he grew up is going away. The site with the Woodsman is going away. The land will still be there. But it may not fully be under their control. The spineless people who operate fell into a pit. They’ve never been the brightest. But the got even dumber. They’ve been this way all Marc’s life. His fadder, who went there, too warned Marc about them. His leader did the same. So did many others.

Marc and Alana were flying up there in her Infiniti. The Ramones were cranking. The boys from Forest Hills played an extraordinary role in his summer camp. We all know how Jen and Anat were enemies in camp. Later, they became friends. Jen will even attend Anat’s wedding. Yes, Marc and Alana discussed their wedding. Discussed was all they did. They laughed about walking down the aisle.

Alana pulled into the muddy parking lot. The gate was up. They decided to hike to Marc’s precious grounds. The grounds where he grew up, where he met his leader. Where he first heard the tales of and finally met the Woodsman. Marc knew it was all going away. He was shaking during his hike up.

Since they couldn’t drive up, he knew they would have to pass several buildings he spent time with him. The office was gone. He felt bad. But didn’t weep. He only went there to pick up the mail. He walked by where the dining should be. He saw an empty plot of land and chips of wood all over. A cabin or two that we used for handicrafts and other activities was not too far away. No more. Gone.

The shower house, which he rarely used, was nearby. No, he wasn’t a dirtbag. Marc showered in the more private single stall shower on his hill. He would do so at about 1 in the morning. He always showered in the dark. Sometimes the water heater that they housed from another site worked. Sometimes the shower was ice cold. He didn’t care. His eyes looked toward where the shower house would be. Gone. Tears were starting to form in his eyes. He supposed the site where a famous staff member who rocked in the dining hall and used to play with his little guy in was gone. He guessed the DNA evidence was bulldozed down.

They approached his hill. Alana was holding his hand. She knew his was a wreck. She started kissing him. She pulled out her iPhone and cranked “Pulling Mussels from the Shell,” which went into “I Wanna Be Sedated” and ended with “Come Together.” He got to the foot of hill. Sometimes he thought ty were fools on that hill.

He collapsed. His precious leanto was gone. He slept in it during his teen years. He and his leanto mate used to drink Genny Cream Ales in it. They ate Freihoffers cookies and ate sandwiches with red sauce from El Monaco’s. That restaurant has been gone for decades. His leanto mate loves to rest.

He couldn’t get up. When he did, he shot pomegranates, barley and honey everywhere. Alana stepped away. Marc continued like a mad man for over an hour. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to. But she started shooting him with wine. She thought she could harm him. She nailed him in the chest with an apple.
He ran toward her. He picked her up and held her. He was pure mush. Eventually, he put her down. They sat on the hallowed grounds where his leanto was. He was afraid to hike to the site of the tip-pan.

Anat is still mulling over calling her parents

Thanks to Jerry, Anat now has a heart. Her wedding was three weeks away and she still didn’t tell her parents. Of course, they haven’t spoken to each other in nearly three decades. She wondered if they’d even talk to her. She had no idea what they were up to or how their health was.

Anat dialed a few of the digits of their phone number. She held the phone for five minutes while deciding if she should type in the last digit. She placed the handset back in the receiver and had a shot of Arak.

Jerry just woke up. She smiled. He ran over to her. He had breakfast and started practicing firing olives. Anat was worried. She wanted him to be calm. She didn’t even understand why he had this power. She was her son. But not by blood. But that didn’t matter. Her love for him and his for her wrote over the blood relationship. They were a true family.

She mailed and emailed all the invitations. She was thinking of doing a dairy wedding. She knows a guy who has connections to a dairy farm. He’s known for getting the best milk and cheeses. Sometimes he’s busy cleaning some campsite. But he usually pulls through.

Meanwhile, Marc and Alana were tired of being continuously tested for COVID-19 to enter venues. Like everyone, they have had enough of the virus. They knew politics played a role in it from the beginning. And now, aså most believe, that’s all it is.

Jay knew about Anat’s wedding. He was planning to make an appearance.

Marc returns to camp

After Anat’s successful bridal shower, Marc borrowed Alana’s car and went up to camp. Marc was very worried about some of the campsites. The clowns that run this place, who call themselves professionals really screwed up.

Marc had to make sure the property was safe. Plus, he needed time in his old leanto, the lake and dining hall. If only his favorite latrine still stood. He would go pray by the tip pan. That’s all that’s left of the social center of his youth.

Marc pulled into the parking lot. The gate leading into the camp was closed. That never stopped anyone. He parked and climbed over the small chain. He hiked past the dining hall and ballfield. It was grown in. They couldn’t play softball or their special version of Ultimate Frisbee on it. He made a note to have the grass cut next time he came. He figured he and Alana could do it with their powers.

He saw some deer by path near the ‘ole campsite that an almost famous musician used to run. He stopped for a moment and searched his vaulted aisles of memory. Marc looked at his phone and say a what’s up text from Alana. He replied all was well. He was hiking up to his campsite. He planned on spending the night in his leanto. He had some food in his backpack. He’d light a cooking fire when he got to his spot.

Marc went to his leanto and placed his belongings in it. He walked over to the lake and jumped in. The water was cooling down. He swam for about an hour. He exited the lake and walked to the site of the waterfront his leader used when he was a kid. The docks were gone. But Marc knew where it was. There was a special pipe where the docks used to be. Marc took a look at the pipe and smiled. He jumped into to that section of the lake. He got out and walked to his site.

He lit the fire and started cooking his steak. He planned to bake brownies. The remains of a Dutch over were still in the site. It has been there for over three decades. He remembers when a kid lost the Dutch oven bakeoff and cried for days. Oh well.

Marc was expecting to be alone for the weekend. He played U2, Depeche Mode and the Psychedelic Furs. He was enjoying his steak when he heard noises. He looked around. He saw nothing.

He went back to his steak and Genny Cream Ale. He felt good. All of a sudden, he heard the cry of the mighty buffalo. He didn’t think the Woodsman was going to pay him a visit this time. He figured it had to be him. He was honored. He was ready.

Silently he approached Marc. He picked up a Genny and started drinking. Marc rose in his honor. The Woodsman smiled. He looked at Marc and smiled. He began to speak. Marc’s ears were ready.

“Marc, you did well at the Boathouse. Jay must be stopped. He will confront you again. Alana will be by your side. I’ve been watching you since our last meeting. She will always be by your side and you by hers. Before you leave this site, you must clean the side of the hill. The bozos that run this place have made a mess. When you’re done you must drink a glass of milk. When you’re done go look for a red bucket. I think you know what it’s used for. You will find answers to your next struggle in it.”

Marc remembered the legend of the bucket. It was started by a dear friend, uncle and leader. He and Marc’s leader ruled the camp back in the day. He felt their presence as the Woodsman and his herd of buffalo disappeared in the woods.

Jay Rises

Coughing like a maniac Jay rose from the lake. He wasn’t submerged for too long. His eyes were bloodshot. But they usually are. Marc saw him rising. He jumped off the roof of the Central Park Boathouse and landed in the water. He was firing pomegranates the whole time. Marc landed in the lake. Jay shot glass at him. Marc pelted him with the ‘ole camp standard—Dead fish. He wondered if Jay remembered this. Possibly. However, he and Marc weren’t in the same group. Marc’s group were the master of dead fish fights.

Fish guts were up Jay’s nose. While this was happening, park staff was rowing out to get the two out of the water. Marc was using fish v. his superpowers so he wouldn’t get caught. To protect Marc, Alana fired apples and wine at the rescuers. She didn’t want to hurt them. But knew protecting Marc’s identity was more important in the greater scheme.

The rescuers boats slowed down. As they stopped Marc grabbed Jay out of the lake and left him ashore. Marc ran into the bathroom of the boathouse to dry off. Alana fired several shots of wine at Jay. Several figs landed in his ears.

Meanwhile, the ladies were toasting Anat. Alana raced back in and grabbed a glass of wine.

Anat’s bridal shower

Ann came to visit Anat and Jerry. Part of this was mandated to make sure Jerry was okay. Anat was days away from legal adoption approval. Ann noted all was well and suggested they take a walk. Anat wasn’t in the mood to go out.

But listen to Ann she did. She was afraid of jinxing her quest to be a mom. They walked around for about 30 minutes or so and wound up at Strawberry Fields. Anat loved it there. They walked up to the Central Park Boathouse. As they walked in Alana, Jen, Dan’s mom and sister and some others surprised her. She was moved to tears. Marc was on the roof on standby to provide outdoor security. Dan was roaming around the building undercover. Dan still had no idea of Anat’s powers. Inside Alana figured she and Anat could handle any issue.

The afternoon moved on. Great wine was poured and delicious Icelandic salmon was served. All was quiet. Marc had his eyes on the lake. He saw Jay in a rowboat. He texted Alana. He decided not to text Anat. He didn’t want to ruin her party. He didn’t bother with Dan. He liked the guy and knew he was strong. But he was no match for Jay.

Marc didn’t want to wait for Jay to exit his boat. He fired pomegranates and honey. He had a direct hit with the honey his hands started sticking to the oars. Several pomegranate seeds wound up in his eyes. He dropped his oars into the water and panicked. He tried to grab them from the water. But he fell right in. Meanwhile, Alana was watching and shot wine into his ears and nose as he was falling in.

Mordaciously, Anat was talking to her soon to be sister-in-law and sipping chardonnay. She had no clue what was going on. Marc jumped off the roof and met Alana on the ground. They ran to the docks at the boathouse. They saw a Central Park staff member rowing out to help Jay. They did not want this. They fired more of their weapons at Jay while he was bobbing up and down. They tore into his life jacket. It fell off. Jay went under.

Pandemic Watch: NYC Subway: Now that’s Entertainment. Or is it?

By this point, most of us New Yorkers have ridden the subway. Some of us have ridden it many times. I took my first ride, June 2020 when they reopened barbershops. The subway cars were very clean and empty. I took several more rides as the summer progressed and haven’t stopped.

The rides were pleasant. But something was missing. Or was it? During the early rides, the “entertainers” were not there. ‘Ya know the people I am talking about – The dancers, gymnasts, singers, the people who do tricks with their dogs and of course the subway “religious leaders” who bless and praise everyone.

During my early subway rides, I marveled at the peace and quiet while reading a book on my Fire tablet. Although I found it pleasurable. I felt like something was missing. Several rides later one of the usual musicians came aboard with his guitar. He serenaded us with his voice as his fingers strummed. Naturally, he came around with his hat looking for tips. Some passengers tossed him a few coins or handed over a dollar or two. Most ignored him.

As time went on and more rides were taken the dancers were back. The gymnasts, the people who do backflips and pretend they are firefighters when they slide down the hand poles followed. So were the preachers and other philosophers. Long before Facebook had medical experts, philosophers and politicians, the NYC subway was chock full of them. It still is. It always will be.

Of course, now we have the people who need selfies of their shenanigans on the train. Heaven forbid they miss a chance to post to Instagram or Tik Tok. Last Thanksgiving, a mask less woman of about 20 years of age danced around an empty car while snapping shots of herself.

Sometimes you get lucky. You get a festival. This means you have battling actors, guitarists, drummers, singers, etc. All are vying for your attention and money. You always have the candy salesman. Some even take credit cards. These business persons will swipe your card on their device or walk off the train with it.

Well, I am glad they are back. Love ‘em or not they are part of our city’s culture and spirit. Now that we are living in a cashless society, I wonder how this affects the way they make their livings?

Time to get off the train. I am not worried about missing a performance. The subway stations are loaded with entertainers.

Other posts are below.

Pandemic Watch: Masked or not?

Pandemic Watch: Masked or not?

Pandemic Watch: Patti Smith brings live music back to City Winery NYC

Pandemic Watch: Patti Smith brings live music back to City Winery NYC

Pandemic Watch: Forgotten mask

Pandemic Watch: Forgotten mask

Pandemic Watch: Shopping before a predicted snowstorm

mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2021/02/01/pandemic-watch-shopping-before-a-predicted-snowstorm/

Pandemic Watch: Keeping it clean

Pandemic Watch: Keeping it clean