Returning to an odd form he invented forty years ago.
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After 13 months of basically hiding, I figured Midtown at midday would be a good spot to get back among the living, so I chose the main branch of the New York Public Library and set up in front of one of the lions.
Sitting there with my mask on so as not to worry anyone (even though fully vaccinated), I counted the number of people walking by: eight per minute. On Fifth Avenue!
Back when I used to write stories on the street for a living, I never would have set up in such a surprisingly desolate spot. But this time I wasn’t doing it for the money, so I stayed.
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