病院の付き添いは緊急でもなく、私は一人、暑い青空の下をチャイナタウンに行く。ちょっと必要な買い物も終え、それでも時刻はオリンと落ち合うにはたっぷり残っている。建物の影を選びながら、杖を片手に３番街を北上する。
ニューヨークに出向くときは ”転ばぬ先の” 杖は離せない、とはいえ今回もレジに杖を置き去りにして、お客さんやレジの女性に『あんた〜！忘れてるよー』って杖を指さされた（笑）。何やら、とうの昔にニューヨークにいる緊張感・甘美な自己満足感は消え去り、日々の記憶と習慣、加えて、碁盤の目のように規則的に縦横を走っている通りにも助けられ、歌を歌い、ぼんやりと想念を追いかけ、汗をぬぐい、”年をとるってこういうことかな” となんだか面白くなってくる。大好きなお友達、皆に会いたいけど帰りのバスが待っている。
プリンス・ロジャー・ネルソンのことを考えていたら目の前が ”プリンス通り” だった。ハウストン通りとスタントン通り、リビントン通り、そして３番街。この一帯が当時の私の存在の証。
いっとき住んでいたバワリーのロフトは程なくピカピカな画廊になり、今日、久しぶりに通りかかると画廊は何処へやら？ 全体が改装の真っ只中になっていた。
今は飛び切りに土地の高騰する一等地。美術館やレストランやマーケットが連なり、20年前の記憶と交差する。あの頃、ロフトの裏は広大な空き地に鬱蒼と灌木がかぶさり、野犬が群れなして吠えていたっけ。ロフトでは何度か妖精を見たよね。既に雨漏り激しく床も崩れる寸前の暗いロフト内で、私は蝶々が飛び交うのを見た。何？？小さな妖精さんたちじゃないの！！？？ 複数回みた。
あの時の妖精たちに頼んだことが、そして感謝の気持ちから当時のロフトオーナーに縫ってあげたトンデモ服が、今になってそれらがロフトオーナーをシンデレラボーイに変えた。奇異な小説のようだけど本当の話。
It’s not important that I stay near the hospital, so I go to Chinatown alone under the hot blue sky. I’ve done some necessary shopping, but I still have plenty of time to meet Orin. While choosing the shadow of the building, I walk north on 3rd Avenue with a cane in one hand.
When I go to New York, I can’t let go of the cane that “doesn’t fall” however, this time as well, I left the cane at the cash register so was told by the customers and the cashier “Hey you! You forgot!”— they pointed at my cane (lol). Somehow, the tension and luscious self-satisfaction that I had in New York long ago disappeared already. As well as the streets that run regularly like grid, helped by my memories and habits. Singing songs, vaguely chasing thoughts, wiping sweat, and “I wonder if this is what it means to get older” becomes somewhat interesting. I want to meet my favorite friends, but the return bus is waiting.
When I was thinking about Prince Rogers Nelson, I saw “Prince Street” in front of me. Houston Street, Stanton Street, Rivington Street, and Third Avenue/Bowery. This area is a proof of my existence at that time.
The loft where I lived for awhile soon became a luxury gallery, and today I passed by after a long time, where did the gallery go? The whole building is in the middle of a renovations.
Now it is a prime location where the price is soaring. The museums, restaurants and markets are lined up, and intersect with the memories of 20 years ago. At that time, the back of the loft was covered with dense vacant lots and shrubs, and stray dogs were barking. I saw fairies several times in the loft. I thought butterflies flying in the dark loft, which was already leaking and the floor was about to collapse. What? Not the butterflies but they were little fairies! !! ?? I’ve seen it multiple times.
What I asked the fairies at that time, also all of my appreciation and feeling of gratitude to a person who was the loft owner at that time – I sewed several eccentric funny clothings for him. Now these old clothings have turned the loft owner into a Cinderella Boy. It’s like a strange novel, but it’s a real story.
