On December 8, 1941 every recruiting office in the country was packed to the gills with outraged patriots determined to right a terrible wrong done to this country.
On September 12, 2001 we were just dazedly scratching our heads, once again outraged but finding no easy answer for the best way to react. This one’s a little different.
A war of terror is not fought by soldiers in a fierce battle on some remote island in the South Pacific; it’s fought with the everyday actions of everyday people everywhere.
When a reporter asked Rudy Giuliani what people could do to help the situation, his answer was simple: "Come to New York and spend your money." At the time I found that to be a bit crass, but it made sense when I thought about it. New York is sure to take another big hit in the form of lost revenue. The fear that these attacks brought to this area essentially gives those terrorists a victory and will severely damage the short-term outlook for local businesses. But since my column is fundamentally based on stimulation of the local economy, I figured it was my duty to get out there and "waste" my wages.
So this past weekend the girlfriend and I rode the one remaining city-bound PATH line out of Hoboken for an evening in the Village. After getting off the crowded train at Christopher St., we decided to grab a bite to eat. I was expecting to find some trendy little bohemian bistro – the snooty kind that has 40 different wines, 12 breads, six types of lettuce, but only one beef entrée. But as we walked west to Bleecker, then south to 7th Avenue, we opted for margaritas and enchiladas ($70 – a little steep if you ask me) at Caliente Cab (61 7th Ave. South, NYC). Feeling a need to walk off the beef and beans, it was over to NYU and up University Place. Passing by Bowlmor Lanes (110 University Pl., NYC), the girlfriend wanted to put on some red, white and blue shoes and bowl a couple frames, but there was an hour wait and the place was packed with drunk college kids (who are always good for the local economy).
We kept wandering up to Union Square, and opted for a late-night feature at United Artists Theaters (1 Union Sq. South, NYC). As they searched people’s bags on the way into the theater, I was a little unsettled. But I got over it when I was overwhelmingly surprised by Hedwig and the Angry Inch – in fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say it was the best rock opera about a troubled boy’s freakish journey to self-redemption since Tommy (granted, not a very crowded genre, but a great flick nonetheless).
After that, we got back on the train and went home to bed.
So there you have it. I’ll acknowledge that this is not a very exciting story. In fact, it sounds like it could be anyone’s normal weekend. But that’s what I was trying to achieve – normalcy.
It’s tough to do when you live in a town that has experienced such trauma. The simple question, "Is everything okay with you?" has become a subtle euphemism for, "Are your friends and family still alive?" When you see a familiar face you haven’t seen in awhile, you feel a sense of relief. Whenever a plane is heard, people look up with sudden, cautious glares. Whenever a siren goes off, people think, "dear God, now what?"
Trivial commonplace has been replaced with meaningful substance. In everything normal that we do, we say a big "$*@# YOU!" to terrorism.
It goes without saying that the world will never be the same in the wake of these events, so we have to redefine normal and get back to it. And we can do it, one night out at a time.
If you know how I can effectively waste $50 in the metro area, please write to:
"Hal Wastes His Wages"
c/o The Hudson Current
1400 Washington Street
Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
Or via e-mail:
Current@hudsonreporter.com