ode to the park

the weather in new york this weekend is the reason people pledge their undying devotion to this city.  it was a perfect 70 degrees, with just the right amount of breeze and sun.  because it is early april, no one knows quite how to dress to avoid being too hot or too cold.  i saw bikini clad girls and shirtless boys starting their tan of the season and other people walking around wearing sweaters and jeans.   the air is electric with the possibility of, well, anything.

this time of year reminds me of the spring when seth and i became friends.  i would trek into the city and we would meet for brunch, inevitably ending up in hudson river park to people watch, talk and sometimes nap. that spring reintroduced me to my love affair with new york city and frankly, reawakened me out a very long hibernation from life.  hudson river park is like a magnet to me now, the minute the temperature creeps into the upper 60s it is the first place i want go.

so, this weekend, after brunch with an old friend, i started walking home and found myself walking west on christopher to meet seth at the park.  as i crossed the west side highway, the sights and sounds of the park came flooding back to me as if i was there yesterday.  the park was filled with packs of the beautiful boys of the neighborhood, bikers, roller bladers, dogs of all sizes, couples on picnics, friends playing clue and chess and people dozing lightly in the sun.   in a nod to spring, it seemed like no one was wearing black; i only saw a sea of bright blues, pinks and yellows.

after reading for a few hours, we were packing up to leave when i heard clapping and cat calls coming from my left.  never one to shy away from a spectacle, i had to investigate the commotion.  to be surprise, i found a large group of people jumping rope, double dutch style.  three women had shown up to the park armed with two jump ropes and challenged a group of boys to see what they were made of.   naturally, the challengers could double dutch like nobodies business and to my surprise, a few of the boys kept up with them.  the crowd encouraged the jumpers to keep up their momentum as well - when someone managed to get into the jump ropes without tripping, they were met with fierce applause.  anyone could try and those who did were nicknamed by the women.  my favorite nickname was "pink sunshine" for a boy in a pink sweater.  it fit.

seth and i stood there for about 20 minutes watching them jump and listening to the cat calls.  somehow those 20 minutes on saturday afternoon simultaneously reminded me of the fun i had in elementary school on the playground and of my daydreams from that fateful spring four years ago.  i firmly believe the magic of hudson river park enables me to conjure up such vivid memories and emotions.  and the smile has yet to leave my face.