Fairytale of New York

I wasn't going to post anything about what today is. This is a music blog, and you can find a thousand other blogs with people's feelings on the anniversary. So I'm not going to talk about what I was doing or how I felt five years ago. I'm going to tell another story.

The first time I went to New York City was at the end of December in 1994. I figured ringing in the New Year in Times Square was something that everyone needs to do once in their life. Since it was my inaugural trip, I did a lot of the touristy stuff that first timers do, like going to the top of a skyscraper. I was going to do it old school, so I chose to go up top of the Empire State Building.

I didn't visit the World Trade Center until June of 2000. My sister got married in Pennsylvania on Father's Day weekend, and we had family that came down from Montana for it. On Sunday, we drove into Manhattan, caught the subway to the Bronx, and took in a Yankees/White Sox game (Chicago won 17-4). Since the clan from Montana had never been to New York, they wanted to do something in the city afterword, so we decided that we'd go to the WTC.

We got down there late in the afternoon, and walked around the plaza first. It was impossible not to be floored by the towers. Even in a city where everything is larger than life, their scale was enormous. We headed up to the observation area on the 107th floor (the outdoor deck on the roof was closed due to strong winds), had pizza at the restaurant there, and then split up to take in the scenery. Everywhere you turned the views were incredible. It was dusk by the time I turned the corner and gazed down upon Brooklyn, just as they were turning on the lights on the Brooklyn Bridge. I was absolutely transfixed. I must have stood there for 20 minutes as the twilight faded, while this song was playing over and over in my head...

Frank Sinatra - "The Brooklyn Bridge" (mp3) from Sinatra In Hollywood 1940-1964

I'd have stood there all night if my mom hadn't drug me away when everyone else was ready to leave. I can still remember that scene like it was yesterday, and I think about it every time I hear that song.

I miss that view.

post title by The Pogues