Termies meet up in NYC
From Elisa.....
Cast of Characters:
Effie is a gorgeous creature with black fur reflecting glistening giggles of light, a waving smile of a tail, and eyes that beckon, as deep and endless as wishing wells. Her face is softened by a dignity of graying around her soft mouth, and her manner is affectionate yet respectful. Effie succeeded in her mission to turn me into a dog lover!
Suzanne radiates a full spectrum inner light, and even though her eyes are not her own, they shine rainbows. Her aura is ultra-sensitive, taking in signals and messages that most of us would never see or feel. She is as close to magic as any human I have ever met, and generously shares her special gifts freely, as blessings.
Anne is as refreshing as a New England autumn sunset: somehow deliciously cool, yet warm, radiant and full of complimentary colors. Imagine warm peachy clouds with pink edges against violet sky...as exhilarating as the fjords must be! Her eyes show her inner joy and girlish sense of fun, but also the complexity of her life as mother, partner and advocator.
Nancy is as fun as a party popper, if those contained the wonders of the world instead of silly broken toys. She joyously embraces life, and spreads enthusiasm and kindness like warm butter. Her smile lights the room and embraces, only to be outdone by her hugs...the kind you never want to end. And she is a certified barbeque judge who collects baculum - need I say more?
Shelley is cool, sleek and creative, and her character is as complex and mysterious as the art of pysanky. This is the Ukrainian technique of egg decorating where a special tool is used to block out designs with wax before dying the egg colors, and multicolored images are built up until the entire egg is covered in black wax. The final step is how I think of Shelley: where you carefully melt away the wax with a candle, and rub very gently with a cloth to reveal the finished design. Her finished design is brilliant, vivid and symbolic.
Martha is exotic and elegant, like an orchid with details that are
astonishing and rare. She has a warmth and clarity that appear
instantaneously, and makes one feel immediately important and respected.
Lisa D is my heart, my queen, and soul friend. We met at JT's reading, and became attached from the start. She is true, proud, beautiful and
distinguished, and at the same time is always open, accessible, and ready for adventure. To see her is to know inner joy externalized...and the girl can dance!
Elisa (thass me) is a cultural enthusiast, artist/writer and joy spreader. Unfortunately, I tend to push for love in all the wrong places, which makes me slightly pathetic. Luckily, those who come to know me can forgive this!
Thursday, October 13, 2002:
This will be Anne’s third day in NYC, and the day the East Coast termies descend. My flight went smoothly, and despite being crammed in a van with too many people to get into the city to my hotel, I was running on full adrenaline in anticipation of meeting Anne, Suz & Effie and Nancy. The hotel Nancy chose, called Hotel Metro, was wonderful. It was beautifully decorated and comfortable, and remarkably unpretentious for a NYC hotel. I got settled in my room, explored the penthouse terrace, then ran uptown to a music store to buy cds.
Anne and I agreed to meet at 6 pm in the lobby, and I knew her as soon as I saw her…she was the one with the golden aura. We hugged, then went upstairs where Suzanne & Effie and Shelley were waiting in their suite (Anne, Nancy, Suz & Eff were sharing a suite, and I had a single since I can get mild social dysfunction and sometimes need to isolate). As we walked in, I was immediately greeted by Effie, who was all love and smiles, and then I saw Suzanne who is all warmth and rainbow eyes. Even though she said that’s how her eyes were made, it’s my theory that her soul has colored them. Shelley and I had met at JT’s reading & party, and we shared greetings.
We all went out to get some dinner, and after being rejected by one restaurant because of guide dog discrimination, we were reluctantly allowed to eat in another. I have had the past experience of being denied housing as an interracial couple, but the discrimination shown to Suz & Eff was so blatant, it was amazing. Luckily, after that we all took the stance that we wouldn’t ask for permission; we would assert our right to be where ever we wanted…and it worked! Dinner at the Indian restaurant was yummy, except when I chomped into a green chile thinking it was a string bean! And we all ordered a dessert to share, which was one of the most horrible things any of us had ever tasted!
Back at the hotel, we hung out in the suite to await Nancy’s arrival, and she came bringing an amazing amount of energy and fun. We all talked and laughed until we were exhausted, then went for some rest.
Friday, October 16, 2002:
We all got up on the late side, but were able to make it to our complimentary breakfast in the hotel lounge, where Suzanne and I quickly bonded through our coffee addictions (once I tried to switch to green tea, but it just isn’t the same!). Many cups later, we all decided to head downtown by cab to check out Keihl’s, which was a tiny apothecary 20 years back when I lived in the city, but has since grown into an exclusive fragrance & skin care line, sold at Barney’s. They were one of the first to market nature-based scents, like “Rain”, before it was the rage, and I thought Suz would get a kick out of the essential oils. Effie was her polite self, but I’m not sure what she thought of the experience (she would probably recommend an entirely new line of “natural” scents)! We were able to nab a free sample vial of “Rain” for Suz to take home.
We then walked to Strand Books, which is a huge and popular bookstore. Anne and Nancy came out with good helpings of books, while Suzanne, Effie and I shared a wonderful conversation, tucked away in Children’s Books where we wouldn’t be tread upon. Outside we marveled at our purchases while we waited for my friend Carl. Anne says some Norwegian elf snuck a book of dirty limericks into her shopping bag, but we all knew better!
Carl and I grew up together, and always get together when I’m in the city, so he joined us for lunch at a nearby diner, where Effie was welcomed with open arms. She is the most polite guest I’ve ever seen…she disappears under the table and sleeps (or that’s what she says). Suzanne is trying to get her to write her NYC journal “The Truth From Under the Table”, but she says she has a writer’s block. After a tasty lunch we parted ways, as I had a meeting arranged with a music producer (not for any music, but an unearthly connection we made on the internet as we comforted each other through cancer scares). I believe Anne, Nancy, Suz & Eff got caught in the rain and ended up back at the hotel.
When I got back to the hotel, I picked up coffees for Suz and I, and headed to the suite. Everyone was there, including Shelley, and were having snacks and drinks (wine/beer). This was for mild amusement, not to be confused with Shelley’s plan that tomorrow would be the night to get “drunkish”. My dinner plans were to meet an old friend uptown, and the rest of the group were talking about dinner and maybe a party at the Whitney. By the time I got back to the group, Nancy was asleep, and Anne, Suz & Eff had decided to go with Shelley to see her friend “Pottymouth” perform. I went to sleep on the early side, knowing I might be clubbing tomorrow night. (Someone must insert a segment about the Pottymouth experience…I truly missed out!)
Saturday, October 18, 2002
New York is such a night-happening place, that once again, we all slept in…I can’t remember whether we made it downstairs for coffee, or brought it up to the room. We wanted to eat at J.T.’s luncheonette, but sadly they had no seating, so we had to settle for some cheesey photos and a souvenir menu. We cabbed it all the way downtown to near the WTC site. I must say here how much Effie enjoyed taxi rides. She would put her face right at the window that opens to the driver, ever reminding him to take care of her mom, while she enjoyed a good breeze. This particular ride was very emotional, where Nancy offered to take Effie when it was time for her to retire.
We were quite hungry, and decided to eat at a nearby deli that had become well known for serving the workers during the WTC recovery effort. On the way we took time to “show” Suzanne the memorial wall, and tell some of the stories about the items left there.
I still feel that the air downtown has a different quality since the disaster; that it is distilled with spirits, yet quiet with reverence. And this despite the merchandising circus that now surrounds the site.
I left the group to meet my sister in Century 21, and the others were going to go to the Trinity church and then find us. Once inside the store, I had a small panic attack about finding the others. Now I’m an enthusiastic shopper, but this was downright claustrophobic. Everywhere were people ripping through thousands of racks of clothes, all the while there was a current, like an overfull river, that threatened to pull you with it.
I did manage to find a sweater for Suzanne, got a call from Nancy (from Pocketbooks), and amazingly managed to swim against the current and down 3 escalators to find them. Anne had found a lovely purse for JT. And we all decided it was just the gift to commemorate and give thanks for bringing us all together. Anne wanted to check out some scarves, so this was when we realized that Effie doesn’t do escalators. An employee took us through the bowels of the store to a series of elevators that eventually brought us to where we wanted to go. My overall panic at the crowds was enhanced by the feeling that we would be lost forever in the underworld of Century 21, forced to form a new society like The Borrowers.
Once we were “safely” back in the main store, I had to part ways to spend some time with my sister. We headed up to Soho, and Anne, Nancy, Suz and Eff had plans to go to Canal Street, and maybe Washington Square Park. We met up again back at the hotel, and did more snacking, drinking and talking. This was THE night that we were to get drunkish, so we figured on an early start. Lisa D was to join us for dinner, but had some thugs in her neighborhood cut her tire. So the crew went on to Brooklyn to Shelley’s, and I waited for Lisa, who got the tire fixed and made it down with amazing speed.
Lisa and I cabbed it to Brooklyn to save time, and hung out near the restaurant waiting for the rest of the group. We marveled at how Williamsburg had changed over the years, as now there were restaurants, galleries, shops, and throngs of people. We then moved into the restaurant (didn’t want to be mistaken for solicitous types), and the rest of the group arrived shortly. So now we were almost a mob: Martha (who had come down from Boston), Shelley, Anne, Nancy, Suzanne & Effie, Lisa and me. We got a large table, and consumed huge amounts of sushi and sake. Conversations flowed all around, and we accomplished our drunkish mission. The group then went back to Shelley’s, where I heard they painted nails and composed songs, and Lisa & I went back to Manhattan to meet up with my friend Scott at a club.
Lisa and I found Scott, and went to a “lounge” (not to be confused with a dance club, I was slightly disappointed to find out) called APT, somewhere on the west side meat-packing district (literally and figuratively). The music and crowd were great, and we hung out late into the night. Lisa brought me back to the hotel around 5:00 am, and I figured a half a night’s sleep would be enough to go on. Unfortunately at 7:00 am my husband called with bad news about my mother. I tried to find a way to get back home earlier, but nothing worked out.
Sunday, October 19, 2002
We all met downstairs, where I drank at least 4 cups of coffee to try to revive. We all had such a great time, but knowing goodbyes were pending was painful. We all went back to the suite to gather ourselves, and say our goodbyes. Nancy, Suz and Eff were heading down to catch a train, so we had big hugs and some tears and parted ways, promising a reunion. Anne and I decided to try to go to Bloomingdales before I headed up to the airport. When I used to live in NYC, Bloomies’ cosmetics floor was where I’d go if I felt down. I am a packaging addict (since I wear very little makeup), and it always makes me happy to see all the glittery palettes and smell all the fragrances. Anne found some awesome glitter to bring her daughter…white with a violet iridescence. I could have spent the rest of the day there, but had to rush back to get to the airport. It was really hard saying goodbye to Anne. I guess I didn’t want our termie adventure to end. She spent two more days in the city, then had her long flight back to Norway.
This was one of the most interesting an exciting weekends I have ever spent, and we all came out of it having reinforced the individual and group bonds that we had made previously through writing. There was throughout a feeling of wonder, and as we discussed JT, we all marveled at how this person who at one time was barely hanging onto this world, was able to give us so much. It goes even further than giving, because his writing inspired all of us to root out and grow our own hopefulness and potential for joy. And to come together to share all our individual stories was an incredible experience in acceptance, openness and connectivity. Thanks, JT!
From me (nancy):
JT....
I haven't even been home long enough for my dogs to stop asking me to scratch them behind the ears but I had to get a letter off to you as soon as I could.
I just got back from the NYC trip. Ann, Suzanne, Effie & I shared a 3 bed suite, Elisa was also booked into the hotel, Shelley went out to dinner (Korean BBQ) with us Friday and on Saturday, we went to her apartment and saw Martha, then out for sushi in Brooklyn, where Lisa Drayton joined us.
We had so many adventures, it's hard to know where to begin. I think Elisa is going to write up an account of things and, for this reason, and because it's all still bubbling around my head, I think I'll wait to tell you of them.
The thing is, it didn't matter where we were of what we were doing, JT, because the whole of New York City was just a backdrop for us to talk and laugh and cry and just love each other, no matter where we were or what we were doing. What amazing people have come to the list, JT. I can't tell you how monumental the whole thing is. I feel like something big in me has shifted...maybe a stone covering a dent in my heart has moved to find that the dent is now an oasis of light and wonder. I don't know. It just feels amazing.
JT, you gotta know how much your spirit imbued all we said and did. You weren't there in the corporeal sense but man, you were certainly all around us in spirit. We saw Leroy Street and giggled. The JT Luncheonette was right around the corner from our hotel. We went there & took photos (soon to follow) of ourselves and went in and the owner, whose name was also JT, was so pleased and excited to hear of our adventure. We waited for a taxi to appear for half an hour, frustration growing. Only when I lifted my baculum and said "I invoke the power of the bone to get us a cab" did the one come swinging over from the far lane to accommodate us. As we got in, we noticed that we were standing next to the Astor Building. Too cool!
Besides the metaphysical events, we spoke of you all the time. We spoke of how we hope that you know the extent to which you've touched our hearts with your compassion, understanding and courage. We spoke of the goodness of friendship that came out of the list. We spoke of how all of this has changed us in a profound way. We spoke of family, our own and yours. We loved you and touched your goodness with every word that tumbled from our mouths.
I can't say it strongly enough or often enough, JT. You've created a miraculous place through your pain and healing. We are your phoenixes, rising from the ashes of Natoma street and, as we fly, we rain kisses and love down upon you.
With a much love and a happy heart,
Nancy
Cast of Characters:
Effie is a gorgeous creature with black fur reflecting glistening giggles of light, a waving smile of a tail, and eyes that beckon, as deep and endless as wishing wells. Her face is softened by a dignity of graying around her soft mouth, and her manner is affectionate yet respectful. Effie succeeded in her mission to turn me into a dog lover!
Suzanne radiates a full spectrum inner light, and even though her eyes are not her own, they shine rainbows. Her aura is ultra-sensitive, taking in signals and messages that most of us would never see or feel. She is as close to magic as any human I have ever met, and generously shares her special gifts freely, as blessings.
Anne is as refreshing as a New England autumn sunset: somehow deliciously cool, yet warm, radiant and full of complimentary colors. Imagine warm peachy clouds with pink edges against violet sky...as exhilarating as the fjords must be! Her eyes show her inner joy and girlish sense of fun, but also the complexity of her life as mother, partner and advocator.
Nancy is as fun as a party popper, if those contained the wonders of the world instead of silly broken toys. She joyously embraces life, and spreads enthusiasm and kindness like warm butter. Her smile lights the room and embraces, only to be outdone by her hugs...the kind you never want to end. And she is a certified barbeque judge who collects baculum - need I say more?
Shelley is cool, sleek and creative, and her character is as complex and mysterious as the art of pysanky. This is the Ukrainian technique of egg decorating where a special tool is used to block out designs with wax before dying the egg colors, and multicolored images are built up until the entire egg is covered in black wax. The final step is how I think of Shelley: where you carefully melt away the wax with a candle, and rub very gently with a cloth to reveal the finished design. Her finished design is brilliant, vivid and symbolic.
Martha is exotic and elegant, like an orchid with details that are
astonishing and rare. She has a warmth and clarity that appear
instantaneously, and makes one feel immediately important and respected.
Lisa D is my heart, my queen, and soul friend. We met at JT's reading, and became attached from the start. She is true, proud, beautiful and
distinguished, and at the same time is always open, accessible, and ready for adventure. To see her is to know inner joy externalized...and the girl can dance!
Elisa (thass me) is a cultural enthusiast, artist/writer and joy spreader. Unfortunately, I tend to push for love in all the wrong places, which makes me slightly pathetic. Luckily, those who come to know me can forgive this!
Thursday, October 13, 2002:
This will be Anne’s third day in NYC, and the day the East Coast termies descend. My flight went smoothly, and despite being crammed in a van with too many people to get into the city to my hotel, I was running on full adrenaline in anticipation of meeting Anne, Suz & Effie and Nancy. The hotel Nancy chose, called Hotel Metro, was wonderful. It was beautifully decorated and comfortable, and remarkably unpretentious for a NYC hotel. I got settled in my room, explored the penthouse terrace, then ran uptown to a music store to buy cds.
Anne and I agreed to meet at 6 pm in the lobby, and I knew her as soon as I saw her…she was the one with the golden aura. We hugged, then went upstairs where Suzanne & Effie and Shelley were waiting in their suite (Anne, Nancy, Suz & Eff were sharing a suite, and I had a single since I can get mild social dysfunction and sometimes need to isolate). As we walked in, I was immediately greeted by Effie, who was all love and smiles, and then I saw Suzanne who is all warmth and rainbow eyes. Even though she said that’s how her eyes were made, it’s my theory that her soul has colored them. Shelley and I had met at JT’s reading & party, and we shared greetings.
We all went out to get some dinner, and after being rejected by one restaurant because of guide dog discrimination, we were reluctantly allowed to eat in another. I have had the past experience of being denied housing as an interracial couple, but the discrimination shown to Suz & Eff was so blatant, it was amazing. Luckily, after that we all took the stance that we wouldn’t ask for permission; we would assert our right to be where ever we wanted…and it worked! Dinner at the Indian restaurant was yummy, except when I chomped into a green chile thinking it was a string bean! And we all ordered a dessert to share, which was one of the most horrible things any of us had ever tasted!
Back at the hotel, we hung out in the suite to await Nancy’s arrival, and she came bringing an amazing amount of energy and fun. We all talked and laughed until we were exhausted, then went for some rest.
Friday, October 16, 2002:
We all got up on the late side, but were able to make it to our complimentary breakfast in the hotel lounge, where Suzanne and I quickly bonded through our coffee addictions (once I tried to switch to green tea, but it just isn’t the same!). Many cups later, we all decided to head downtown by cab to check out Keihl’s, which was a tiny apothecary 20 years back when I lived in the city, but has since grown into an exclusive fragrance & skin care line, sold at Barney’s. They were one of the first to market nature-based scents, like “Rain”, before it was the rage, and I thought Suz would get a kick out of the essential oils. Effie was her polite self, but I’m not sure what she thought of the experience (she would probably recommend an entirely new line of “natural” scents)! We were able to nab a free sample vial of “Rain” for Suz to take home.
We then walked to Strand Books, which is a huge and popular bookstore. Anne and Nancy came out with good helpings of books, while Suzanne, Effie and I shared a wonderful conversation, tucked away in Children’s Books where we wouldn’t be tread upon. Outside we marveled at our purchases while we waited for my friend Carl. Anne says some Norwegian elf snuck a book of dirty limericks into her shopping bag, but we all knew better!
Carl and I grew up together, and always get together when I’m in the city, so he joined us for lunch at a nearby diner, where Effie was welcomed with open arms. She is the most polite guest I’ve ever seen…she disappears under the table and sleeps (or that’s what she says). Suzanne is trying to get her to write her NYC journal “The Truth From Under the Table”, but she says she has a writer’s block. After a tasty lunch we parted ways, as I had a meeting arranged with a music producer (not for any music, but an unearthly connection we made on the internet as we comforted each other through cancer scares). I believe Anne, Nancy, Suz & Eff got caught in the rain and ended up back at the hotel.
When I got back to the hotel, I picked up coffees for Suz and I, and headed to the suite. Everyone was there, including Shelley, and were having snacks and drinks (wine/beer). This was for mild amusement, not to be confused with Shelley’s plan that tomorrow would be the night to get “drunkish”. My dinner plans were to meet an old friend uptown, and the rest of the group were talking about dinner and maybe a party at the Whitney. By the time I got back to the group, Nancy was asleep, and Anne, Suz & Eff had decided to go with Shelley to see her friend “Pottymouth” perform. I went to sleep on the early side, knowing I might be clubbing tomorrow night. (Someone must insert a segment about the Pottymouth experience…I truly missed out!)
Saturday, October 18, 2002
New York is such a night-happening place, that once again, we all slept in…I can’t remember whether we made it downstairs for coffee, or brought it up to the room. We wanted to eat at J.T.’s luncheonette, but sadly they had no seating, so we had to settle for some cheesey photos and a souvenir menu. We cabbed it all the way downtown to near the WTC site. I must say here how much Effie enjoyed taxi rides. She would put her face right at the window that opens to the driver, ever reminding him to take care of her mom, while she enjoyed a good breeze. This particular ride was very emotional, where Nancy offered to take Effie when it was time for her to retire.
We were quite hungry, and decided to eat at a nearby deli that had become well known for serving the workers during the WTC recovery effort. On the way we took time to “show” Suzanne the memorial wall, and tell some of the stories about the items left there.
I still feel that the air downtown has a different quality since the disaster; that it is distilled with spirits, yet quiet with reverence. And this despite the merchandising circus that now surrounds the site.
I left the group to meet my sister in Century 21, and the others were going to go to the Trinity church and then find us. Once inside the store, I had a small panic attack about finding the others. Now I’m an enthusiastic shopper, but this was downright claustrophobic. Everywhere were people ripping through thousands of racks of clothes, all the while there was a current, like an overfull river, that threatened to pull you with it.
I did manage to find a sweater for Suzanne, got a call from Nancy (from Pocketbooks), and amazingly managed to swim against the current and down 3 escalators to find them. Anne had found a lovely purse for JT. And we all decided it was just the gift to commemorate and give thanks for bringing us all together. Anne wanted to check out some scarves, so this was when we realized that Effie doesn’t do escalators. An employee took us through the bowels of the store to a series of elevators that eventually brought us to where we wanted to go. My overall panic at the crowds was enhanced by the feeling that we would be lost forever in the underworld of Century 21, forced to form a new society like The Borrowers.
Once we were “safely” back in the main store, I had to part ways to spend some time with my sister. We headed up to Soho, and Anne, Nancy, Suz and Eff had plans to go to Canal Street, and maybe Washington Square Park. We met up again back at the hotel, and did more snacking, drinking and talking. This was THE night that we were to get drunkish, so we figured on an early start. Lisa D was to join us for dinner, but had some thugs in her neighborhood cut her tire. So the crew went on to Brooklyn to Shelley’s, and I waited for Lisa, who got the tire fixed and made it down with amazing speed.
Lisa and I cabbed it to Brooklyn to save time, and hung out near the restaurant waiting for the rest of the group. We marveled at how Williamsburg had changed over the years, as now there were restaurants, galleries, shops, and throngs of people. We then moved into the restaurant (didn’t want to be mistaken for solicitous types), and the rest of the group arrived shortly. So now we were almost a mob: Martha (who had come down from Boston), Shelley, Anne, Nancy, Suzanne & Effie, Lisa and me. We got a large table, and consumed huge amounts of sushi and sake. Conversations flowed all around, and we accomplished our drunkish mission. The group then went back to Shelley’s, where I heard they painted nails and composed songs, and Lisa & I went back to Manhattan to meet up with my friend Scott at a club.
Lisa and I found Scott, and went to a “lounge” (not to be confused with a dance club, I was slightly disappointed to find out) called APT, somewhere on the west side meat-packing district (literally and figuratively). The music and crowd were great, and we hung out late into the night. Lisa brought me back to the hotel around 5:00 am, and I figured a half a night’s sleep would be enough to go on. Unfortunately at 7:00 am my husband called with bad news about my mother. I tried to find a way to get back home earlier, but nothing worked out.
Sunday, October 19, 2002
We all met downstairs, where I drank at least 4 cups of coffee to try to revive. We all had such a great time, but knowing goodbyes were pending was painful. We all went back to the suite to gather ourselves, and say our goodbyes. Nancy, Suz and Eff were heading down to catch a train, so we had big hugs and some tears and parted ways, promising a reunion. Anne and I decided to try to go to Bloomingdales before I headed up to the airport. When I used to live in NYC, Bloomies’ cosmetics floor was where I’d go if I felt down. I am a packaging addict (since I wear very little makeup), and it always makes me happy to see all the glittery palettes and smell all the fragrances. Anne found some awesome glitter to bring her daughter…white with a violet iridescence. I could have spent the rest of the day there, but had to rush back to get to the airport. It was really hard saying goodbye to Anne. I guess I didn’t want our termie adventure to end. She spent two more days in the city, then had her long flight back to Norway.
This was one of the most interesting an exciting weekends I have ever spent, and we all came out of it having reinforced the individual and group bonds that we had made previously through writing. There was throughout a feeling of wonder, and as we discussed JT, we all marveled at how this person who at one time was barely hanging onto this world, was able to give us so much. It goes even further than giving, because his writing inspired all of us to root out and grow our own hopefulness and potential for joy. And to come together to share all our individual stories was an incredible experience in acceptance, openness and connectivity. Thanks, JT!
From me (nancy):
JT....
I haven't even been home long enough for my dogs to stop asking me to scratch them behind the ears but I had to get a letter off to you as soon as I could.
I just got back from the NYC trip. Ann, Suzanne, Effie & I shared a 3 bed suite, Elisa was also booked into the hotel, Shelley went out to dinner (Korean BBQ) with us Friday and on Saturday, we went to her apartment and saw Martha, then out for sushi in Brooklyn, where Lisa Drayton joined us.
We had so many adventures, it's hard to know where to begin. I think Elisa is going to write up an account of things and, for this reason, and because it's all still bubbling around my head, I think I'll wait to tell you of them.
The thing is, it didn't matter where we were of what we were doing, JT, because the whole of New York City was just a backdrop for us to talk and laugh and cry and just love each other, no matter where we were or what we were doing. What amazing people have come to the list, JT. I can't tell you how monumental the whole thing is. I feel like something big in me has shifted...maybe a stone covering a dent in my heart has moved to find that the dent is now an oasis of light and wonder. I don't know. It just feels amazing.
JT, you gotta know how much your spirit imbued all we said and did. You weren't there in the corporeal sense but man, you were certainly all around us in spirit. We saw Leroy Street and giggled. The JT Luncheonette was right around the corner from our hotel. We went there & took photos (soon to follow) of ourselves and went in and the owner, whose name was also JT, was so pleased and excited to hear of our adventure. We waited for a taxi to appear for half an hour, frustration growing. Only when I lifted my baculum and said "I invoke the power of the bone to get us a cab" did the one come swinging over from the far lane to accommodate us. As we got in, we noticed that we were standing next to the Astor Building. Too cool!
Besides the metaphysical events, we spoke of you all the time. We spoke of how we hope that you know the extent to which you've touched our hearts with your compassion, understanding and courage. We spoke of the goodness of friendship that came out of the list. We spoke of how all of this has changed us in a profound way. We spoke of family, our own and yours. We loved you and touched your goodness with every word that tumbled from our mouths.
I can't say it strongly enough or often enough, JT. You've created a miraculous place through your pain and healing. We are your phoenixes, rising from the ashes of Natoma street and, as we fly, we rain kisses and love down upon you.
With a much love and a happy heart,
Nancy
posted by JT LeRoy at 10:32 AM
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