#Occupy Wall Street – Part 1
I was down at Zuccotti Park the other day, minding my own business as much as I can with my Canon camera when, turning to take a shot I came face to face, lens to lens, with a camera-man filming me. We laughed, he had a smile to die for, we made crowd small talk then he asked me if I minded being filmed and asked a few questions. This stopped me in my tracks. I am Miss Invisible, I am “what did you say your name was again . . . ?” I faffed around, made polite Greta Garbo excuses when he came up with the clincher that I could hardly object if I were so happy to be taking photographs of other people. Fair point, I thought, go ahead, confident that they will have the good enough taste to later press delete. 
His partner, the interviewer, an elfin young girl who could have passed for a far prettier Justin Bieber look-a-like asked me what I was doing own there. I glibbed and cobbled together an answer of sorts with so much gibberish that I am mercifully unable to recall the messy few words that did fall from my mouth. I could see in her eyes that it was a wrap already but she was kind enough to smile and nod her head appropriately. It was over in no time. I made sure of that with my waffy talk of freedom and the democratic process.
It was barely a wrap when out of nowhere another woman swooped on the young girl reporter . “Oh my God, I remember you! I saw you on America’s Got Talent!” Girl reporter nodded and smiled. Desperate for more information I struggled to overhear the conversation as the woman interrogated her as to what she is doing now while all I wanted to know was what did she do on AGT? Did she interview people or perform as the Justin Bieber clone? Before I knew it, the crew was interviewing the woman. Who had a lot to say. This woman talked. In earnest. With her head held in confidence and her hands punctuating the air around her. I was in awe and envy, wishing to God I could talk the talk but years of noisy dinners as a child in a large family soon resigned me to the peace that is the land of the shut-up.
Come back, come back I thought. Let me tell you what I really think. But, thinking about what I really thought had my heart thumping in my chest and, if I were to truly talk, well then I would simply start crying, not knowing where to stop. Then I would have embarrassed them and myself although I suspect I am beyond that these days, as long as I keep my mouth shut.
Today is my baby’s birthday! Somewhere along the line in those things called years, he became a young man. He is tall, rugged, extremely fit and rather good-looking. In his final year at university he has been accepted to start this time next year as an officer in the Royal Marines. It is what he wants to do and we are very proud and supportive of him but I can’t help thinking why can’t he be a ski-bum out in Colorado like his brother (who knows how much we love and support him!) or find a nice office job like his other brother in London? Where did we go wrong? A son in the military? A military unit sent to all sorts of crazy places like Afghanistan and Iraq when all that time Osama was hiding out in Pakistan? And what did Iraq have to do with 9/11 anyway? I have to suppress the yearning nostalgia for the good old bad days when Iraq and Iran slugged it out with each other for a whole eight years . . . whose side were we meant to be on with that one? Meanwhile in Afghanistan the wily mujahideen sent the bedraggled Soviet troops back to mother Russia fully loaded as heroin addicts!
No weapons of mass bloody destruction but so many lives lost in the process. And what for? To what end? When will it ever end? Is the cycle doomed to be repeated ad nauseam throughout the ages? Swaddling the newborns in my arms I remember the hopes and dreams (a cliché if ever there was one but it will have to do for now) I held for them and the world into which they were being born.
Hopes and dreams never die although re-arrangements are often necessary. Which is what is happening down at Zuccotti Park. And if we care enough about ourselves we have to care about others. We are, all of us, some-one else’s “other.”
Care, if you dare. Before it is too late!
(Happy Birthday and many more to Fog 3 and everyone else young and old enough everywhere!)
NB: I am well chuffed – I made it Zuccotti Park before Obama or Bono!
Nice Piece
DarkJade-
Why thank you DarkJade!
Amazing coverage, Patti.
Yours is what people should be seeing on the nightly news, not the pap and tinder combo that’s there almost 24/7. There’s a Yiddish word that describes most of the stuff on the news: dreck.
If you don’t know it, someone you know will.
I love the way Yiddish words pack their punch, thank you so much for reminding me! But “dreck” – how fabulous is that! Another one to add to the list.
And thank you so much for your comment of support. Today down at Zuccotti Park I met some committed photographers, not earning any money on their shots but so grateful to be having them outsourced. As for the march to Times Sq, it has been a long day. But, here’s to a long life if we are all so fortunate. Is it ever too late for Shabbat Shalom? All best to you!
I was also down there last week. The area was definitely beginning to get a bit ripe ! Many of the folks used the time as an excuse to loaf around in public view, while the sun shone. Many looked like they’d come off the streets, or up from the subways. The occupation definitely attracted the nut-job element.
I also visited the 9/11 Memorial, and found it a curiously un-moving experience. Probably due to lack of the finished Museum to provide a more visceral memory. Doesn’t help that it is still a building site which resulted in a tortuous entry process in to the Memorial area. What was useful were the great views of the new buildings being constructed, which many people took advantage of.
Pax, are you calling me a nut-job? I have been called worse but you should have called me for coffee!
I was down there, for the second time, the afternoon of the big clean-up pending the eviction and I was seriously impressed at how well they scrubbed it up but I hadn’t really noticed any ripeness earlier.
As for the 9/11 Memorial, I was not aware of there being a museum of any sorts. I have always thought of the area as being it’s own permanent memorial. What do you think of the new buildings?
1 WTC is bland, a lost opportunity to highlight American architectural ability.
The most interresting tall skysrapers designs today are to be found in the Fasr East and Middle East. Dubai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai etc.
greetings by
http://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/occupy-movement/
Greetings and thank you Frizztext.
it would be nice, if we could see any result / success after a while …
Gee Patti, I feel like I don’t know you !
Guigs
Hey Guigs, no need to feel like that! Put the kettle on, pull up a chair and we can catch up, just like in the old days. Great to see you here!
Another great set of pics, Patti. The Bernie Madoff picture is definitely one of my favourites. Are you sure it wasn’t Justin Bieber trying to interview you? The girl has potential for a side job as his stunt double.
Thank you Pie. Now you have me doubting how sure I am / was about her being JB. . . .
Oh how I wish we would/could put Ron Paul in the White House and watch our Nation return to sanity. One thing for sure, there would be no more bailouts. The big guys would have to mind their P’s and Q’s or go out of business. You did a great job describing your adventures in Zuccotti Park. I don’t think I could handle the crowds in person at these types of events. Instead, I pester the weebie jebbies out of my local Congressman and our two Traitor Senators to try to make a difference.
I see your local Congressman and two traitor Senators cowering under their desks in anticipation of your “weebie jebbies!” Never heard that one before – fantastic!