As some of you who follow me on social media may know, my husband, cat and I live in Zone A in Long Island City, and had to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Sandy. We’ve since returned home, and I’m happy and relieved—and acutely aware of how lucky we are—to report that our apartment has power/TV/etc. Given the choice, however, I would evacuate again, because when your mayor, building and the police tell you to do something, you do it.
The power is out in much of LIC. The Brooklyn-Battery tunnel looks like a swimming pool. Breezy Point is destroyed. Most residents below 42nd Street are out of power. But what hasn’t changed is the undeniable resilience of New Yorkers and the true small-town spirit that exists here. I grew up here, on Fifty-First and Tenth. (Anyone who read Spellbound and Spellcaster will recognize this address as Angelique’s building—my homage to my Hell’s Kitchen roots.) As soon as evacuations were announced, I immediately received tons of texts and calls from concerned friends and family. “Do you need a place to stay? We’ll come get you. Bring the cat!” Social media was flooded with open announcements of “Come stay! We’re happy to take you in!” As the effects of Sandy continue, so do these posts.
Half of Manhattan is still in darkness, but real New York spirit shines bright.
