HEART SURGERY 12/30/96 AND RECOVERY
Gene Field Start 1/23/97
The New York City subway 'F' train hurtles under the East
River going from Queens to Manhattan. The 14 year old boy sits
on the straw seat facing forward - that is, the seat faces
forward - the boy is looking sideways at his reflection in the
dirty window under the dim lights of the IND system of the
Transit Authority. Maybe he just imagines he sees himself and
what he actually sees is the look in the mirror of the peanuts
machine, the Chicklets gum machine, any other mirror on any
station platform - checking his hair. Is it combed the way he
wants it to look before he gets to the 3rd Street Settlement
Music School off 2nd Avenue for his violin lesson, and the
Orchestra (and Cora Gordon)? Did the wind from the train mess
it up, even though he always tried to minimize this by standing
where the first car would stop, which really didn't help because
the train "pushed" the musty tunnel air into the station.
And was his hair still there? His Dad would laugh watching him
spend literally hours in the bathroom getting it "just right".
He'd point to his bald head - "Came out when I was 21 - and
so will yours". But it didn't - at 58, (and, amazingly, even now at 70)
Gene Field Start 1/23/97
The New York City subway 'F' train hurtles under the East
River going from Queens to Manhattan. The 14 year old boy sits
on the straw seat facing forward - that is, the seat faces
forward - the boy is looking sideways at his reflection in the
dirty window under the dim lights of the IND system of the
Transit Authority. Maybe he just imagines he sees himself and
what he actually sees is the look in the mirror of the peanuts
machine, the Chicklets gum machine, any other mirror on any
station platform - checking his hair. Is it combed the way he
wants it to look before he gets to the 3rd Street Settlement
Music School off 2nd Avenue for his violin lesson, and the
Orchestra (and Cora Gordon)? Did the wind from the train mess
it up, even though he always tried to minimize this by standing
where the first car would stop, which really didn't help because
the train "pushed" the musty tunnel air into the station.
And was his hair still there? His Dad would laugh watching him
spend literally hours in the bathroom getting it "just right".
He'd point to his bald head - "Came out when I was 21 - and
so will yours". But it didn't - at 58, (and, amazingly, even now at 70)
the former boy still has his hair.
What he did inherit from his Dad, who died of a heart attack
at 61, is the emotional and physical devastation of emergency
open heart surgery the day before New Years Eve.
Wasn't it Eddie Fisher that sang, in 1954, "Green Years,
where have you gone to; wonderful green years, where did you
go? Your April kiss promised me that you'd always live on.
But youth is a dreamer, and when I awoke, my Springtime was
gone"
Is this what happened to that 14 year old riding the subway?
What he did inherit from his Dad, who died of a heart attack
at 61, is the emotional and physical devastation of emergency
open heart surgery the day before New Years Eve.
Wasn't it Eddie Fisher that sang, in 1954, "Green Years,
where have you gone to; wonderful green years, where did you
go? Your April kiss promised me that you'd always live on.
But youth is a dreamer, and when I awoke, my Springtime was
gone"
Is this what happened to that 14 year old riding the subway?
3 comments:
Dad- that brought tears to my eyes it was such a vivid detail of a day in your life so far! It was so vivid that I was there with you!
I wondered where Kyler got his insane hair obsession- no I know!
I love you so much Dad! <3
That was beautiful! I love the way you write. So thoughtful so poignant..
Thanks for sharing that!
Gene,
I so enjoy your writing. You have me sitting on that train of years ago, checking for the mirrors, and chicklet machine.
New Years Eve 1996 was a scary, difficult time that I am glad was 10+ years ago.
-- Mary
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