ESCAPING THE CITY

Living in New York during 2020 has been what you might call a challenge. I don’t think I need to spell out why. I live in Brooklyn, on a street not far from the wonderful Prospect Park. During summer, the park is a delight, with lakes, forests, streams, vast meadows and beautiful pockets of tree-hidden pathways; in many places within Prospect Park, the ubiquitous buildings of the city are invisible, and the constant sirens can barely be heard. These days, though, the problem is that a lot of other people live nearby, and a lot of other people need outdoor time, too. So, going into the park becomes a game of trying to maintain a six-foot forcefield around yourself in a city that has 26,400 people per square mile.

Needless to say, I wanted out.