I am a native in this world And think in it as a native thinks

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

After the deluge


Location, location, location.

That's the old joke about the only thing that matters in the world of real estate, but sometimes matters of life and death use the same criteria. Sandy was catastrophic: New Jersey, Long Island, the Rockaways, have all been ravaged. I know people whose homes were seriously damaged, and many others whose houses are intact but without power so they're camping out with friends and relatives, sometimes moving every night. And, sadly, a couple of families whose homes were destroyed.

But I was a winner in this round of the geography lottery, never even lost power. This branch poking between the wheels of a bicycle is the only damage I saw on my block.

This has left me with a kind of survivor's guilt. How is it fair that those of us in upper Manhattan came through this basically unscathed when some people are hurt so badly?

I know that's not a question with an answer -- or rather, we all know the answer but just refuse to accept it. It isn't fair. It never will be. And all we can do is be generous when it's in our power to do so, and hope that someone in turn will be kind to us someday.

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