29 Oct 96 
 
May I say wow. 
 
wow. 
 
So I've been involved in my first mass New York event, among other things, 
today.  I rushed out of my Real Variables class this morning to head down 
to City Hall, feel like so much cattle (you can't go to a parade if you're 
claustrophobic), and actually got an ok space to watch the Yankee's 
victory parade downtown on Broadway.  I saw almost none of the parade -- 
just the top ten feet of it or so.  Oh well.  Some people climbed trees 
using the police barricades, but I didn't have the right kind of shoes for 
that.  I saw the City Hall ceremony extremely well, though.  
 
The parade started at Battery Park at 11:30.  I saw my first "something" - 
a Macy's inflatable mitt & ball about noon or so.  I stood around until 
about 2 pm before the Yankees actually took the stage.  Along with my 
fellow New Yorkers, who were having fun yelling "We've got donuts!", 
"Where's Alfalfa?", and "Boss Hogg!" at the cops, I learned the New York 
State of Mind = jolly cruelty.  Everyone had a good attitude about it all.  
We got to see the Rockettes do a really short, uninspiring number in 
Christmas (!) outfits; we were bored by the strains of a high school jazz 
band.  I watched people dumping loads of old papers and shredded documents 
from really tall buildings.  I read a couple of depositions on the ground 
as well as insurance application forms; I don't think there's been so much 
shredded stuff in one place since Ollie North's office.  Someone started 
burning it later.  
 
Robert Merrill (sp) sang a couple tunes for us, as did the little girl  
that sang the National Anthem at some of the Yankee games (she sang the  
Anthem for us).  We got a huge lineup of various New York Republican  
officials and got to boo Pataki & D'Amato for the first time.  Feels  
really good.  I only had Helms to boo at at home, a void has been filled  
here.  I booed Steinbrenner as well.  I feel like I'm part of the city  
now. 
 
Joe DiMaggio was there for the ceremonies and gave a really good speech;  
he and the current Yankees all got the key to New York City (lock up and  
don't forget to turn out the lights when you leave), and the World Series  
trophy is going to be on display in City Hall during the off-season.  At  
the very end, we got to hear Placido Domingo sing "Take Me Out to the  
Ballgame" in Spanish and in English.  After which I had to figure out how  
to get to the subway station since the police were blocking the easiest  
routes.  At one point, I almost ended up on the Brooklyn Bridge; I headed  
by the federal courthouse and found the station.  By this time it was  
after 3 pm. 
 
I was really hungry, so I swung by the Wendy's on Broadway on my way back  
to the math building.  I experienced my first celebrity moment as I was  
hurriedly carrying the bag with Frosty, burger & salad crossing Broadway &  
3rd.  And Sandra Bernhardt was there, with a couple of friends I suppose  
or she's taken to working the corner.  Somebody asked to take her picture  
with "Mr. Bucket".  I guess you had to be there. 
 
May I say I have a fire raging within.  (maybe I should use Tuck's?) 
Burn, baby, burn.