Advanced Halloween -- Hurricane around Central Park

God must be busy these days! He has been called upon by numerous people, "Oh, My God!"

Being at upper west side, we luckily could maintain our normal life. We have water, electricity, even internet, -- what a blessing also a luxury, considering that uncountable people were suffering the wrath of Hurricane Sandy.

Monday Night (October 29)

I summoned up courage and ventured out around 8pm on Monday evening, during the howling viciousness of the storm. Having no emergency errand, I was simply reluctant to miss the unprecedented chance (at least for me) to witness the mighty power of Nature.

(88th St and Broadway Ave)

My adventure didn't go beyond a few blocks and was totally stopped at 87th St and Central Park West Ave. Possibly because this location was a tuyere area from the Central Park, extremely strong gusts dominated every possible space even time. Stunned, I felt as an unwelcome guest to a Halloween Party. No treating, dare not trick neither. All participants to this Halloween party were gods: Aeolus (wind), Zeus (sky and rain), Thor (thunder), Nyx (night), the Hecatoncheires (storm), and so on. Every participant has his/her powerful connection.  Trees bowed in front of them, broken or uprooted mercilessly. Oh, my God! Such an open natural concert of Beethoven Symphony 5 or Pathetique Sonata!


Tuesday Morning (October 30)

The party fizzled out in the early morning. Gods have returned to the Olympic Mountains. I, the earthling, now can enter their domain, quietly. Below is the overall scene of the 87th Street.

(87th St facing the Central Park)

(Snapshot I)

(Snapshot II)

Life returns to normal and peaceful. All flourishing stories become untold. Only the silence of fallen leaves keep them.

(Central Park, Path around Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir)

To see a World in a Grain of Sand 一沙一世界，

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, 一花一天堂。

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 双手握无限，

And Eternity in an hour. 刹那是永恒。

                             --William Blake

Photographed by Jennie Bai.

Copyright ©Jennie Bai. All Rights Reserved.