A gunboat in the East River, this morning, a blast from an painful past, a reminder of the sad way we were.
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Twenty years ago, after the World Trade Center disaster, gunboats in the East River were a daily fixture. Walking from Manhattan Park to the subway, I saw them every morning, idling, turrets fully manned. It was chilling and probably went on too long.
Then, they were security after the terrorist attack, but now, it’s defense during UN Week. And there’s only one, but it’s a reminder.
And a reminder that we have a long way to go for a peaceful world.
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As the Dust Settles
The way the wind cuts across the river this time of year. The way older buildings hold heat but never quite hold air. I told myself that was why my chest felt tight again on certain mornings. Age, perhaps.
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