The Sky Chair and the State Fair

Yesterday was State Fair (motto: "Big Fun") day 2, and we dutifully brought our daughter's best friend to keep her company. I might normally object, since this is a kid who always orders the most expensive thing on the menu and never pays for anything, but she turned out to be a good buffer. The highlight of the day was Yet Another Project for me -- two hanging chairs. Not the Sky Chairs mentioned in the title of this piece; that's the trademarked name (almost; I think it's "Skye" or something) for a chair made in Colorodo. These are Brazilian chairs, giant macrame things that envelop you.

Dinner reminded me of my brief stint at the Post Office in Old Chelsea, New York. That's lower Manhattan, not quite at the bottom, but getting down there. I used to work the late shift, a ten-or-twelve hour affair, six days a week. We were busy cleaning up after the Postal strike, so there was quite a bit to do. And almost no time off. I'd head for Central Park on my day off -- I seem to recall that it was Sunday -- since it seemed to be the place to go. I didn't know anyone in Manhattan other than my sister (with whom I lived) and her friends, so there was nobody to hang out with, nothing much to do except watch the regular bunch of people play Johnny on the Pony.

It's easy enough to feel alone, but if you really want to do it, go to some place really busy. Head for a crowd. Central Park is ideal, especially on the weekend. I'm not sure if I thought I'd just randomly meet someone or if there just wasn't anything else I could think of doing, but I wound up there every Sunday, watching all the couples, groups, people walking their dogs... that entire cross-section of humanity that passes through the park.

That's what dinner at the State Fair was like. For one reason or another, I found myself having a plate of barbecue ribs at the very last table in the back, far removed from the main thoroughfair, and entirely by myself.

If you want to feel alone, go where there's no one else. If you want to feel really alone, be alone in a crowd.