Reflections On New York...
It's early morning on the day I am to depart. I'm sitting here, in Marie's living room, listening as Harlem slowly wakes up. There's the distant sounds of trucks rolling down silent streets, the sound of the steam sighing out of the radiators. There is, believe it or not, relative quiet about me. W.154th Street, Sugar Hill, is a very quiet street. And in this quiet, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude.
I am thankful for Marie Brown. I first met Marie in 1996, I believe. Back then her office was at 625 Broadway. She's a literary agent and even after sending her a crooked resume, she hired me. I worked with her for four years, meeting countless literary unsung legends. Lately, when I come home to New York, it with her I stay.
I would like to express my thanks to my friend Rayner. Rayner Ramirez is my old buddy from college. He is now a producer at NBC, but no matter where life seems to take us, when we're together the laughter rolls out like a red carpet to life, reminding us, "What's the problem anyway? Life is good!" I've had the most intense neck pain, and last night, as I lay on the living room floor barely able to open my eyes, my buddy made time to come and see me, rub my back and tell me he loves me. I love him too. Again, I have the best friends.
Then there is the Old School Fluxers. There's Morgan Meis, Toshi Yano, Stephanie Goldber (Shuffy), Jason Brown, Jason Braun...I went to college with them all (except Brown) and then participated in the insane artistic living experiment at 210A Kent Avenue. Actually, to be fair, it wasn't insane, I enjoyed communal living. But the bottom line is, when I'm around these guys, I'm well, myself in a way that I rarely experience in Copenhagen...sigh.
Karen Good is up there on the sisterhood list. I always describe our first meeting at a Brandy party (yes, the singer Brandy, remember her?) as that scene in West Side Story when Tony and Maria first lay eyes on each other. Karen Good is one of the most gifted writers I know and again, as is the case with all my friends here, when we get together the laughter rolls out like thunder, reminding us to stop thinking. And we are pretty cerebral...
Debbie Cowell is another sister who is mad talented and a fellow Brooklyn girl. I met her through Marie at 625 Broadway back in the day. We became friends the moment we both said we were from Brooklyn. Cause it's like that. I told Debbie the other day that most people travel and come back different people, Debbie? She traveled the world and came back even more Debbie. And that's a good thing.
John McGregor! I call John Don Quixote cause John used to go around Manhattan and introduce himself as a literary agent. Now, I'm not saying that John is not a literary agent, cause he did end up selling the definitive book on Zora Neale Hurston, but what I am saying is that there were many years he wasn't selling anything lol. John was the one who hooked me up with Marie. John is the only brother I know who would invite you out to dinner and then you still end up paying half. Unless it's me and somehow, like the other night, we end up getting the other table to pay for the meal. Don't ask--but it was legal. John may have saved my life yet again--I've had the worst neck pain the last four days, and he hooked me up with his girl Soli, a reflexologist and I saw her yesterday. You know what she told me? No one can ever abandon you but yourself. She said she does not think to think but thinks to do. That woman dropped mad science as I melted under her touch. And by the way John, if you're reading this, Don Quixote is my favorite book of all time.
Then there's Lisa Davis! Another woman I met through Marie...Lisa and I can talk books and writing (in fact, this is probably the common thread with all my homies) and Lisa is one of the few where we have managed to maintain a dialogue while I live in Copenhagen and I am so thankful for that. And I'll say to the rest of yall yall need to get skype!
I know I'm missing people...but I wanted to start with this. This is my family. These are the people who have sustained me when I had no one else. These people started off as strangers, but let me in. Thank you guys. Thank you. I am nothing without you.
I am thankful for Marie Brown. I first met Marie in 1996, I believe. Back then her office was at 625 Broadway. She's a literary agent and even after sending her a crooked resume, she hired me. I worked with her for four years, meeting countless literary unsung legends. Lately, when I come home to New York, it with her I stay.
I would like to express my thanks to my friend Rayner. Rayner Ramirez is my old buddy from college. He is now a producer at NBC, but no matter where life seems to take us, when we're together the laughter rolls out like a red carpet to life, reminding us, "What's the problem anyway? Life is good!" I've had the most intense neck pain, and last night, as I lay on the living room floor barely able to open my eyes, my buddy made time to come and see me, rub my back and tell me he loves me. I love him too. Again, I have the best friends.
Then there is the Old School Fluxers. There's Morgan Meis, Toshi Yano, Stephanie Goldber (Shuffy), Jason Brown, Jason Braun...I went to college with them all (except Brown) and then participated in the insane artistic living experiment at 210A Kent Avenue. Actually, to be fair, it wasn't insane, I enjoyed communal living. But the bottom line is, when I'm around these guys, I'm well, myself in a way that I rarely experience in Copenhagen...sigh.
Karen Good is up there on the sisterhood list. I always describe our first meeting at a Brandy party (yes, the singer Brandy, remember her?) as that scene in West Side Story when Tony and Maria first lay eyes on each other. Karen Good is one of the most gifted writers I know and again, as is the case with all my friends here, when we get together the laughter rolls out like thunder, reminding us to stop thinking. And we are pretty cerebral...
Debbie Cowell is another sister who is mad talented and a fellow Brooklyn girl. I met her through Marie at 625 Broadway back in the day. We became friends the moment we both said we were from Brooklyn. Cause it's like that. I told Debbie the other day that most people travel and come back different people, Debbie? She traveled the world and came back even more Debbie. And that's a good thing.
John McGregor! I call John Don Quixote cause John used to go around Manhattan and introduce himself as a literary agent. Now, I'm not saying that John is not a literary agent, cause he did end up selling the definitive book on Zora Neale Hurston, but what I am saying is that there were many years he wasn't selling anything lol. John was the one who hooked me up with Marie. John is the only brother I know who would invite you out to dinner and then you still end up paying half. Unless it's me and somehow, like the other night, we end up getting the other table to pay for the meal. Don't ask--but it was legal. John may have saved my life yet again--I've had the worst neck pain the last four days, and he hooked me up with his girl Soli, a reflexologist and I saw her yesterday. You know what she told me? No one can ever abandon you but yourself. She said she does not think to think but thinks to do. That woman dropped mad science as I melted under her touch. And by the way John, if you're reading this, Don Quixote is my favorite book of all time.
Then there's Lisa Davis! Another woman I met through Marie...Lisa and I can talk books and writing (in fact, this is probably the common thread with all my homies) and Lisa is one of the few where we have managed to maintain a dialogue while I live in Copenhagen and I am so thankful for that. And I'll say to the rest of yall yall need to get skype!
I know I'm missing people...but I wanted to start with this. This is my family. These are the people who have sustained me when I had no one else. These people started off as strangers, but let me in. Thank you guys. Thank you. I am nothing without you.
Comments
I am writing a little feature for Pride magazine about top places to visit in the world. I want to mention Copenhagen. Can you recommend sites or activities that may be of interest to may Black female readers? You can send them to my blog. I am going to link Scale Invariant to yours.
Thanks.
Monica