It takes little effort to itemize the things I would have missed had we not left the east coast when I was 6 (family, kids, marriage, friends, and careers come to mind). My life has been west coast for 55 years. I do not regret for a minute leaving Staten Island. I actually shudder when I think how precariously close I came to not ending up in Washington State, Bellevue, Seattle, and Whatcom county.
But being the reflective sort I do wonder who I would be if we'd stayed.
If I never left Staten Island I'd talk loudly on my cell phone in public.
I'd never know there's another way to pronounce moth (see other blog).
I'd have endured the terror of Hurricane Sandy.
I'd have known my grand parents, aunts, uncles, cousins.
Beyond this it's all speculation, imagination, and grist for sci fi writers, philosophers, and Frank Capra movies.
I am not sure that I agree with this famous quip by the Jesuits, "Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man." We are a complex amalgum of genes, gender, and family of origin. Nature and nurture. Neurology and pop music tunes. So here are my reflections on this visit.
1. The place is huge. I imagined distances between the St. George ferry terminal and Eltingville, New Dorp, and Great Kills short. Not so. The bus took forever to get just to New Dorp.
2. The place was loud and chaotic. Maybe it was the rowdy teens hanging at the bus stop with me but their voices were about 50 decibels beyond OSHA safety levels.
3. The train was clunky. Meaning no disrespect but I'm not sure rail travel has changed in 50 years.
4. Motorists speed! The only fear I experienced this whole trip was walking down Hylan Blvd. There are more cars in Manhatten but congestion slows them down. I'm certain I saw cars on the island going 70 mph!
5. The museum exhibit about cidadas reminded me of long forgotten memories of catching lightening bugs and putting them in jars. Marvel of nature!
6. There was a cartoon by Hirschfeld in the library. That guy is everywhere!
7. As typical for this whole trip I talked to no one but couldn't help wondering if I was seing grand children of old neighbors, friends of my parents, or other persons of interest from 1952.
8. The museum displayed arrowheads and my dad said he'd find them all over the place when he was a kid.
9. There was a stuffed muskrat in the museum and wondered if he/she/it was related to the muskrats my dad used to trap and sell pelts in the garment district as a teenager.
10. Sadly, the hospital in which I and my uncle Trevor and cousin Jan was born has been demolished. Too bad; I hear it had a faux castle exterior.
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