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Saturday, March 02, 2002 Went out last night looking to scare up a meal, ran into a couple of friends, we wound up getting some chow together. It was Friday night in Chueca, the streets busy with people -- all sorts of people, from teenagers and 20-somethings with hair dyed bright colors, to 50- and 60-somethings done up more soberly. We made our way down my street toward the neighborhood plaza, passing folks walking silently, past groups talking and laughing loudly, past a 50-something couple -- him dressed in a suit -- their arms around each other's waist as they strolled, talking companionably. The plaza: crowded with people, as it is most Friday nights. Last night, however, the energy seemed different -- we could feel it as soon as we rounded the corner and passed through the crowd. Stranger than normal (and that's saying something), different from the usual good-time atmosphere. We walked along, folks swirling past in all directions, people disappearing down the stairs to the Metro, others emerging from same to step out into the Plaza. And then a group of four of five policemen appeared from the pedestrian passageway we were moving toward, passing us. Not a normal part of the mix, the enforcers -– the plaza is not a dangerous place, there's normally no police presence to speak of. The activity may get loud, some of the partygoers may be strange folk, but it's never violent, never a place of robberies or worrisome confrontations, at least in my experience. It's never been a place where I've felt danger, ever. I looked up at the 'CONTROLA EL RUIDO'banners hanging from the buildings around the plaza [see journal entry of February 26], wondering if the vibe had to do with that. Maybe the neighbors were so fed up with the noise, with all the nighttime activity, that they were pressuring the city government to do something about it. Maybe the City was responding with a show of police force in an attempt to ratchet down the weekend merrymaking. Whatever the situation, the vibe was definitely a bit skewed. And then I saw a 20-something couple, standing with their arms around each other in a sustained embrace, their eyes closed. They were that way when I first noticed them, they remained that way as we passed and headed out the other side of the plaza. A long, long hug, both he and she oblivious to the scene taking place around them. Just holding each other with fierce tenderness, nothing else intruding. I see something like that, it puts everything in perspective. In that moment, that young couple reminded me of the only thing of any real importance -- everything else suddenly seemed peripheral, insubstantial. My two friends also noticed them. We shared a smile about it, continued on our way. Found somewhere to eat, had a nice meal. The evening rolled on. rws 7:35 AM [+]
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