Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Part I: New York City, 1999 - Arrival

The plane banks right and drops down slightly. We are below Manhattan, circling the borrough on our descent into LaGuardia Airport. It is a bright morning, around 10 AM, a week before Thanksgiving, 1999.

To our immediate right is the entire length of Manhattan, stretching out seemingly without end. The morning sun shines its golden rays across the surface of the island, sparkling and glinting off of the glass and metal angles of the concrete blocks below giving everything the appearance of being carved out of gold; as if a giant Faberge egg has been opened revealing this beautiful strip of jeweled land held aloft as a promise.

The Statue of Liberty, the Twin Towers, Central Park, The Chrysler building, Empire State; all laid out like the miniature tokens of a board game.

The pilot does this on purpose, even announcing the extra pass.

This is my Ellis Island moment.

.............

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