Tag: Joy Division

New York, New York, or the Middle of the Desert

You can be Isolated and in the Midst of It All –  Get the Balance Right

By Mitchell Slepian

World’s Fair Globe, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park

No, I am not writing about Ol’ Blue Eyes. Or quoting from Depeche Mode. (But I do want to hear his version of “New York, New York” played after every game at Yankee Stadium during 2026. The Big Apple is one of the world’s most photogenic cities. Yes, there are plenty of others, for example, Belfast, Jerusalem, Moscow, Milan,  Reykjavik and Tel Aviv What I love about New York City is that nowhere else can you find Broadway, the Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island, the East and Hudson Rivers, the Staten Island Ferry, Yankee Stadium, and the World’s Fair Globe. And more. Much more.

Cell Tower Outside Brooklyn Botanic Garden

New York offers places where you can feel the big-city madness. Or areas where you can feel the quiet and almost feel isolation. When I say isolation, I do not mean the Joy Division tune. I am thinking about being at the Brooklyn (BBG) or New York Botanic Gardens, William H. Pouch Scout Camp, or just being in your own world while cruising along Museum Mile.  NYC offers isolation and madness.

The Vessel at Hudson Yards

The joy of being in the “isolation”(Joy Division was running through my head) of NYC, or let’s be honest, any other major city, is the things that pop up on your travels. As I was walking through the Fall Harbor Fest at BBG, I looked up and saw a cell tower.  A few feet away, I watched a squirrel around some dying flowers. It’s that time of year. Next to the flowers was a trash can. I remember seeing cell towers driving through Death Valley and along the Italian lakes.

Let’s face they are everywhere. We cannot survive without our Wi-Fi. In many ways, seeing them and the trash cans keeps it in perspective. You can enjoy your isolation or privacy. But know you are when you are in the middle of beautiful gardens or national parks and communing with nature, you can easily text your friends, check the baseball scores, or listen to Depeche Mode on Apple Music on your iPhone. And toss out your trash. NYC provides the perfect place to do it all. It’s just important to remember to stay balanced in your adventures and take it all in. 

The Drop on the Cyclone, Luna Park, Brooklyn, NY

Fire

Marc and Alana went to celebrate Lag B’Omer. Marc built the fire. He was not pleased. He was a master fire builder. Too many super-religious folks got in his way. He was anxious and annoyed. But finally, some of the cute kids made him smile. Of course, Alana was there looking hot in her all-black clothes and makeup. The two of them do not like rabbis. Toss in HR and real estate people. Anyway, the rabbi had to play religious music. Alana had her iPhone cranking Joy Division and Bauhaus. The fire lasted. But not long enough. But too many people thought you just keep feeding and pouring olive oil on it. It was a comedy of errors. The food usually was delicious. Sadly, the temple screwed that up, too. It was so dry.

Marc lit the fire hung with his friends, and sat hand in hand with Alana. Many people were upset with them. They are not married. They will never wed. Marc, at one point, wanted to get Alana a ring. He knew that would end their relationship. He would need many sessions with the Woodsman if that happened. We know the Woodsman rarely comes out. The rabbi was selling candles and trying. Marc and Alana were in the back of the yard, hiding from everyone and acting like teens in love. Their lips were locked, and their hands were all over each other. You could hear the Cure and New Order cranking from Alana’s phone.

The two didn’t anticipate any fighting that night. They were ready. They always are. Anat was having a nicer Lag B’Omer on the Upper East Side. Ben and Gillil helped build the fire. Dan ran the grill. All was quiet. How long would it last?

Diane Does Ok

Diane went out for a run. The last few months of her life have been better than ever. She hasn’t touched one drug or sipped one ounce of liquor. Her job was satisfactory. She reconnected with some old friends from high school. She went to a concert or Broadway show and bought tickets for a few Yankee games.

She missed Jerry. She always would. However, she knew she didn’t even know him when she was his. She certainly didn’t know him now. She only knew Jay’s abuse, drugs, and alcohol. Oh, and that blaring disgusting heavy metal he blasted. Her run wound up. She sipped some Poland Spring and stretched out on a bench. She heard yells. She figured it was kids and people arguing.

She looked into the distance and saw Jay slapping Kari across her face. She smiled and cried. She was happy for herself that she was done with him. She was upset someone else was suffering. Diane was powerless to stop him. She knew he’d shoot glass out of his fingers or eyes if she approached and tried. She hoped for the best.

Marc was running, too. He was a distance from Jay and Kari. But he was keeping a good speed and was rapidly approaching. He never ran with music cranking into his ears out of his iPhone. He detested headphones and all the iterations people now stuffed into their ears. He just sang songs in his head. He sang Joplin, Lennon, Joni Mitchell, Joy Division and the Bee Gees. It was quite the odd mix of tunes. But they kept him going.

Marc’s keen eyes saw what was going on. He was not in the mood. From a distance, he shot honey at Jay, who was blindsided. Of course, Jay knew who hit him. He got up and wildly started shooting glass. Kari ran. Diane just watched with a smile. Marc approached Jay, who started throwing punches. He missed. Marc didn’t. Pomegranates smacked Jay in the eyes and nostrils. He fell to the floor. Marc decided he didn’t want to fight any longer. He coated Jay in Honey and left.

Kari is Excited to Go to Times Square

Kari was excited to meet Jay when she arrived in Times Square in her new black dress, stockings and sweater. Kari’s nails were polished with fresh black polish and her black lipstick and eyeliner was perfectly applied. She was playing Joy Division on her iPhone. She hoped Jay would surprise her with orchestra seats to Sweeney Todd and dinner. She saw him in his raggy jeans, Motley Crue t-shirt and beat up Nikes. Ok, she thought he may need to dress better. But he can charm her with theater tickets and dinner. He kissed her hello. She hoped he brought her flowers with the tops chopped off. Or just a lovely bouquet. He handed her a can of coke and a hot pretzel from a vendor. She asked what they were gonna do. He smiled. He said let’s walk. They walked down toward the West Side Highway. She was worried. She knew he beat his ex-wife Diane and that the two of them abandoned Jerry in Riverside Park.

They found a bench and Jay just sat there and pulled out a joint. She took a hit. She didn’t want to. But she wanted to be with someone. She wondered why she was sitting there. The other guys who liked her tried to take her to goth and other shows. She turned them down. Jay took her to Riis Park, Coney Island, and the Seaport. All they did was sit and have a beer or two. Where was the romance she thought? Jay was higher than a kite. Not from the joint. But from whatever he did before he met Kari.

She asked him about taking her to a play and dinner. He didn’t respond. He was so out of it he had no idea she was talking to him. She kissed him and thought some affection would get him to honor her wishes. He pushed her away. She tried again and again. This went on for a few minutes. A few benches away, she saw a young couple kissing and sharing a turkey sandwich. Kari was jealous and started to weep.

Jay’s New Woman

Jay was tired of being beaten by Alana, Anat and Marc. To add a bigger insult, his kid, Jerry, was now beating him up. Jerry is only in first grade at the Dwight School. Jay knew Diane was cleaning herself up and wanted nothing to do with him.

Jay decided to go to church one day. Diane was heading back to shul. She was taking everything slow. Jay liked some new woman—a goth chic. Anat and Alana are as goth as it gets. Marc floats between that and his Brooks Brothers, Lacoste, and Ralph Lauren classic prep look. Musically, the superheroes are all on the same beat. Jay’s a metalhead. We know Anat went to Stanford and loved Mike Mussina.

Jay and Kari, his new chic, were fighting. The two of them are cut out for each other. Both are super dumb. The two were getting high on the beach. Someone told them to leave. Jay wanted to be tough in front of Kari. He fired glass at the guy who wanted him to get away. Jay was laughing as he was beating this poor man down. Kari was laughing so hard. Her fat belly shook. Her piercings were shaking.

The man was in a lot of pain. Jay wouldn’t let up. All of a sudden, Jay was drenched in merlot and Chenin blanc. Alana was running on the boardwalk and heard the man’s screams. She looked over towards the ocean and saw what was happening. Alana was angry. She hates it when people break up runs. She worked hard at staying in her perfect shape.

Jay shot glass at Alana. Kari was goading her guy on. She thought he was cool. Kari was so stoned she had no idea what he was doing. She saw Alana run down to the beach and tried to trip her. Big mistake. Alana belted her with figs. She fell on her fat butt.

Meanwhile, Jay was ready to fire broken glass at Alana’s face. He wanted to see her black lipstick and eyeliner turn red and blood flow all over her Joy Divions top and shorts. Glass exploded from Jay’s fingers. Alana saw it coming, shot Malbec at it, and knocked it back into Jay. Guess who turned blood red?

Wedding plans continue

Anat woke up with a splitting headache. She knew she was fine. It was just jitters about her wedding. She and Dan set a date. But she had so much work to do. As smart as she is, She’s completely clueless about wedding planning. They knew they’d honeymoon in Israel. That was about all she was able to plan.

She was still ruminating over talking to her parents. She wanted them to see how she cleaned up. Ann suggested she give it more thought. She knew what Anat had been like. She remembered their first meeting when the police brought Jerry to the children’s center.

Anat sat at her desk and cranked Bauhaus. She wasn’t sure what her wedding song would be. She thought it’d be cute to dance with Jerry. The kid was just getting into Joy Division. So, she’d pick one of their tunes. The only argument she had with Dan was over the dress. He was hoping for her to be all dressed in white. She wanted all black with black make-up and nail polish. She won. But decided to just excite him she may wear white panties.

She stepped away from her desk and went outside. Jay was standing right in front of her building. He was ranting about getting Jerry back. He didn’t see her. She snuck up behind him and unloaded raisins and apricots. They smacked right into his neck. He turned around and tried to launch glass at her beautiful blue eyes. She ducked and refired. She plugged the dried fruit up his nose. He opened his mouth to breathe.


She filled his mouth with raisins. He started to choke. She kicked him in the knees. He went down. She texted Dan that he was at her building and acting crazy. She kicked him a few more times. She heard sirens.

A squad pulled up and they saw him on the ground. The officers assumed he was stoned. His eyes were bloodshot, and he had dried fruit all over him. They cuffed him and shoved him into the car. Anat was pleased. But knew he’d escape.