his weekend marks my 23rd anniversary of moving to NYC from a small town. i applied to NYU on a whim, a bet, to show off a friend's boyfriend that i could get into his alma mater. I wanted to go to SSW at columbia but applied to NYU too. NYU would take my money and give me a 1 year MSW..i got to live in NYC.
My father was in the hospital with his first heart attack and i called him to tell him i was moving. he helped me move from one apartment MEMORIAL DAY weekend - I graduated Salem State and had 4 days to move from one house to my parents and then to NYC.. sort sort sort and store ... and only the minimum came with me
I called NYU and told em.. i needed housing, I never thought about it til the week before..How stupid was i.. NYU came through with this small share on thompson street two days before i was to go.. I wasnt anxious, just didnt think about it.. It took care of itself and appeared out of no where.. I always think it was just made to be..
My brother in law drove the uhaul and hit the top on the mcdonalds drive in barrier and knocked the cab away from the storage things and by the time we drove in the RAIN all my clothes were wet.. All my stuff were soaked.. I looked at the room and it held 1/4 of my stuff.. i sent the non essentials back with him..
We ate pizza at BENS on thompson and spring, my first night and my roommates let me sleep in the livingroom-
i remember waking up being disoriented and remembering i moved to NY the day before.
I walked the street fair on Sullivan and washed my clothes and started to unpack
Sunday was the TONY awards. to wake up in the city that never sleeps, and know i am in the same city as the Tony Awards. My first Broadway play, Zoe Caldwell playing Lillian Hellman or Kathy Bates in “night mother.. I was amazed, i was in the same city.
Years later i would be on broadway, near the Marriott and i would watch the Celebrities coming and going from the theater and TONY rehersal... they used to let the public in to watch, said one lady, Cameras, CArol channing, Laurence Fishburn, Mathew broderick, carol Burnett all under dressed pretending til they left and got dressed up for the show..
I went to Chase Manhattan with a check on monday to open an account and they needed 10 days for money to clear.. I had little cash and had to stretch it.. It would be a year of poverty, no money for the TIMES OR SUBWAY or to see a movie. I saw ONE ALL YEAR -Sophies Choice and had a panic attack and had to leave.
I had three panic attacks that year, One in the Strand (now the place of my first hot flash- i thought it was a panic attack again)
i used to walk walk walk in larger concentric circles from my home. Towards the empire state was away, toward the WTC was home.. I found christopher street, the east village, midtown, Saw Dizzy Gillepsie in Washington Sq Park.. all my first summer in NYC..
i loved it but was lonely...
i found a job rather quickly, Wednesday that first week on campus and worked as much as i could to get some spare $$$
and my first graduate school class started on June 9th.. the next monday...after i moved... MOve, job and bank account the first week....
