"there were movie theaters and taco stands and parks where people had planted flowers"

“Life was good. I knew it. Tomatoes tasted good. A cold Coke in a glass bottle was good. There were movie theaters and taco stands and parks where people had planted flowers. There were violent rainstorms. Stopping everything to watch The Godfather and The Godfather Part II (if not III) back-to-back was good. Great white sharks were good. The water buffalos in the Museum of Natural History were good—perfect specimens and, if you are feeling spiritual, evidence of God. Yes, a second war was about to begin; yes, the Yankees had started to suck again; yes, the new mayor, Michael Bloomberg, was talking about banning cigarette smoking in bars. But was that really a reason to fall asleep every night praying not to wake up? I knew I was lucky. I knew I had built a good life for myself. I’d escaped Long Island. I’d made it to the city. I’d become an artist. My only real problem—the one that superseded all others, including the drugs and the temper and the punk rock attitude—was that this was all I was.”

-- Marc Spitz, Poseur