All come to look for America….
So I looked at the scenery
She read her magazine
And the moon rose over an open field
“Kathy, I’m lost”, I said
Though I knew she was sleeping
“I’m empty and aching and
I don’t know why”
Counting the cars
On the New Jersey Turnpike
They’ve all come
To look for America
All come to look for America
All come to look for America…..
Copyright Simon & Garfunkel.
In 2018 I went looking for America too, well actually it was NYC.
… and I actually went in order to find my creative spirit, it needed a major reboot.
My creative spirit was like a parched grassland starved of rain.
People had warned me about New York and I admit I was a little apprehensive.
I didn’t know the ins and outs of what’s acceptable in New York, except that I soon discovered a second helping of salad with my pita and falafel was not allowed !!
I thought that sucks, in Israel I can have as much as I like!
Of course the falafel balls were much bigger.
This is AMERICA after all even falafel balls are bigger!!
Anyway the apprehension quickly disappeared giving way to sheer amazement.
He really did say to me at passport control
“Welcome to the United States…. What is the purpose of your visit…. and have a great stay.”
My very first conversation in America with an American was at passport control and he was very nice.
The African American driver of the minibus who loaded my suitcase into the back of his vehicle, he was very nice.
The people in the hotel were very nice.
The lady who put her bag on the ground just before entering the subway to explain to me which subway entrance I needed, she was ALSO very nice.
At MOMA they were nice.
B&H they were nice
At Clarks shoe shop, she called me sweetie. Gave me a 15% discount, usually reserved for senior citizens she said.
Umm, Thankyou I said.
I visited 4 different picture framing galleries.
They were very nice too.
Central Park is an Oasis from the hustle and bustle of New York life.
In short, everybody was very nice to me.
My first few days there I was literally speechless in New York.
I could not absorb the new sights, new sounds and new smells quick enough.
My senses were overwhelmed.
Everywhere I looked was just WOW!!!!!!
That trip unlocked my creative spirit “begadol” as they say in Hebrew.
In a really really big way and I haven’t stopped writing ever since.
BUT……
Imagine if I went to NYC now, it would be a very different outcome.
NYC is not the place I loved then.
It seems to have lost its way and doesn’t know even what to do about it, except shout as loud as they can at each other.
Destroy property, beat up policemen, loot businesses, fight each other ……
The last line of Simon and Garfunkel’s America.
“All come to look for America…..”
Yes I’d like to know where you are as well?
Where are you America?
The world needs a strong America and a FAIR America.
Please find yourselves again, this infighting among you MUST end on the morning of
November 4th.
For all our sakes, but especially yours.