My first introduction to the world of heroes and villains (and their differences) happened when I was about ten years old. Before the era of California and all those movies. Well…. there was one movie that helped me kind of crystallize everything. It was a movie I didn’t even like very much until I thought about how the characters were kind of like the people I had been watching every Saturday night in the Spring and Summer, when the weather was warm and muggy.
I take the subway late at night, everything on and working, at this hour it’s just for me. Get on at Atlantic Avenue, get off at 33rd and Lex, climb out of the underground, lights are on but the shutters are down. I’m smiling, I can’t get rid of this smile. No people, I love it, there are no people. I’m attracted to these places that are empty. It’s all mine!
It’s 1am Wednesday morning; I grab a Voice (it’s free, everything that matters at 1am is free), slowly read it while walking. I look at things I don’t get a chance to look at during the day, when there are so many people hurrying me along, caught up like a two by four in a sudden torrent. Now I can take my time and look, a livery cab passes me, then a yellow, and then another yellow.