Field Notebook 9/17

 Walgreens store located at Westchester Ave  

It is a Saturday afternoon; 4:30 pm and I am heading out the door with an umbrella in my hand. It is a rainy and gloomy day for the Morrison-Soundview community. My block, Stratford Ave, is so different from how you see it on a lively summer day. Today, no one is sitting outside the sidewalk chitchatting; nobody is using their deafening stereo system to play music, and the vendor selling slushies every day at the corner is missing. As I walk down my block, I take joy in the rare silence of the street and the relaxing music created by the falling rain drops that hit my umbrella. Across the block, I see a man and woman who seem to be of Hispanic nationality walking in the same direction as I. We are all heading to the shopping center of the neighborhood, located in Westchester Ave. I look through the windows of the T-Mobile shop and see a teenager and her mom arguing as they checked out the latest cellphones. Even though it was raining, the shop’s huge letter T was brightly lit in the color purple with the purpose of attracting its clients. I then walked down to Morrison Ave and as I entered Walgreens, I noticed that there was actually one vendor that didn’t make rain his obstacle when selling his fruit. He took shelter from the rain under Walgreens’ pharmacy sign and talked over the phone as he waited for customers. I thought about how tedious the day must be for him and the store, BX Furniture due to the lack of customers.

Jaqueline's Bakery located between Manor Ave and Westchester Ave

Associated Supermarket however, is an exception. This supermarket is always crowded no matter what. I remember when the news announced hurricane Sandy’s arrival to New York City; the supermarket was loaded with people trying to get hold of the last bread. And so as I walked by the supermarket, I heard the usual sounds; the beep that results as cashiers scan the items and the loud Spanish music being played. I continued to walk towards Manor Ave and just as I was about to cross the street, I heard the six train pass above me. I could actually feel under my feet the vibration the train’s movement causes to the sidewalk.Next; I encountered Jacqueline’s Bakery, my mom’s favorite place to have breakfast in. I smelled the warm and sweet scent of the expresso coffee my mom loves and took notice of the dentist office that was across the street. Black swirly letters of graffiti now covered the closed business and I wondered if it would reopen someday. It was now 5:30 pm and I realized it was getting a little late. I had homework to do and so I started to walk my way back to Stratford Ave. The rain had slowed down and I no longer felt the need to use my umbrella. As I walked up my block, I found and greeted my friend Ericka who had went out to get tomatoes from the fruit market next to her building. We had a small conversation about school and soon I was home, at my five story building with beige and dark brown bricks with a design similar to that of a castle.