Ixesha lesikwere, ngo-1975.UPeter Keegan / Keystone / Getty Ebutsheni bowe-1979 xa ndandineminyaka eli-16 ubudala, ndaqeshelwa ukusebenza njengenkwenkwana yaseofisini yephephancwadi elalisaziwa ngokuba yi-rock Cofa ibhulukhwe . Iofisi yethu yayikwikona yangasempuma mpela yesitalato i-42nd kunye ne-Broadway, indawo yezobume bomhlaba kunye nendawo yokomoya ye-mossy, briny, sepia kunye ne-piss-colored arcade ye-faded, flaking and for-sin sin that was Times Square in the late 1970s.
Mamela, ayisiyiqhekeza le-sexy malunga nokuzonwabisa kwam kwi-Deuce. Endaweni yoko, ezi zezinye zeengcinga malunga nonyaka onesiqingatha ochithwe usebenza kwinxalenye yeSixeko saseNew York esithe sanyamalala ngokucokisekileyo kangangokuba ibinokuba yindawo yokuhlala ye-Iron Age. Ngomfanekiso omnyama nangaphezulu we-picaresque ye-Times Square ngelo xesha, ndicebisa kakhulu umsebenzi we UNik Cohn , UJosh Alan Friedman kwaye USamuel R. Delany , Ngamnye kubo wabonisa ubuhle kunye nokothuka kwesithili ngamagama amnandi nangomlingo. Kum, yayingeyiyo iDeuce. Ndandikwishumi elivisayo ndisebenza e-Times Square, ndaya kwa-Nathan e-Times Square, ndaya e-Baskin Robbins e-Times Square, ndaya ePosini e-Times Square. Ke ndizoyibiza Times Square.
Ngelo xesha, andizange ndinamathisele nayiphi na idrama yokwenyani kumbono wokusebenza kwindawo ebizwa ngokuba yiCrossroads yeHlabathi. Nangona kunjalo, iSixeko saseNew York saziva sikhethekile, singenakucingwa ukuba sikhetheke; Yayiyindawo ekunokufikelelwa kuyo nabani na kuthi, owathi wakhuthazwa lilitye lobugcisa elingxolayo nelomileyo kunye nengqondo ebukhali yokuba amadlelo asizakusibulala, afune indawo kubukumkani babangaphandle. ITimes Square yayilelinye icandelo lobukumkani.
Kuyinyani, yayiyindawo ebumdaka ngokukodwa kwisixeko esidlakadlaka; kwaye lelo ligama elenzeka kum amaxesha ngamaxesha xa ndicinga ngeTimes Square circa 1979: Shabby.
Kwaye i-shabby ayililo igama elibi.
I-Shabby kuthetha ukuba uhlala ngaphezulu kwaye uphantsi kokucocwa. Ligama elibonisa indawo yokuhlala, indawo apho abantu basebenza kwaye badlale kwaye bathenge kwaye basele baxhomeke phantsi bahlale esitupini bahleke kwaye bakhwaze bamamele umculo ongxolayo. Ukuba indawo izele bubomi kodwa ayizaliswanga yimali kwaye ayilawulwa yimidla yezemali engaphandle, abantu bathanda ukuyibiza ngokuba ngamanyala. Kwaye iTimes Square ngo-1979 yaziva ingonwabanga.
Makhe ndiqaphele ukuba umbono wenkumbulo wahlukile ngelo xesha.
Yabona, ngo-1979 sahamba kwihlabathi ngaphandle komguquleli wangaphandle, ngaphandle kwe-intanethi kusixelela ngokuchanekileyo ukuba izakuba njani indawo ngaphambi kokuba sifike kwaye kufuneka siyitolike njani emva kokuba silapho. Kwaye besingenazo ezi zixhobo zimangalisayo zokufota yonke into enomdla kuyo yonke into enokubakho, kunye nokubanda kwi-amber okanye kwi-aspic nayiphi na inkumbulo enokubakho. Mhlawumbi sele uyayazi le nto: ukuya kuthi ga kwinqanaba elikhulu, inkumbulo iye yaba yinto esiyibonayo kwiifowuni zethu, kwaye ayisiyiyo le siyifumanayo kwingqondo yethu.
Ke ndijonga emva kumava am njengomntu oneminyaka eli-16 ubudala osebenza kwiTimes Square ngememori emsulwa, ndinobuchopho bam bodwa njengesixhobo. Into endiyibizayo zizinto ezilahlwayo zokuhamba, umbala ojikelezayo, ukugqabhuka kwengxolo kunye nevumba le-acrid. Ngaphandle kweefoto, inkumbulo ifunyenwe zizo zonke izivamvo zam. Ngumfanekiso oqinisekileyo. Ayililo igama eliphambeneyo, esele igqityiwe isibini kwisithathu, sihlanganisene ngaphandle kwe-grins kunye namehlo abomvu kwizithuba zakudala ze-Facebook.
Andizange ndicinge ukuba iTimes Square iyabhabha, kwaye andikenzi njalo. Kum, i-sleazy yi-American Apparel ads, okanye uTerry Richardson okanye iqhosha elikhulu lokucofa iqhosha kwicala lasekhohlo kwiphepha lakho le-Facebook. I-Times Square ebendiyazi inokuba ibiyinto ethandabuzekayo, ethandekayo kodwa engenalo uthando, kwaye igcwele umchamo kunye nesibulali zintsholongwane (eli vumba lixhonywe kwisithili njengenkungu ejinga ngaphezulu kweSanta Monica kusasa); kodwa sleazy ayisiyiyo le ndiyibiza ngayo.
Ewe ubuninzi benkcubeko ye-porn kunye nezorhwebo kwakungaqhelekanga (nditsho neyona panoramas inesidima ayikwenzi okusesikweni), kodwa ayisiyo inkumbulo yam eyomeleleyo yale ndawo. Into endiyikhumbulayo kakhulu yingxolo: ukuqhula kwabathengisi beziyobisi, abathengisi beekhadi ezintathu, abathengisi besingqisho sabantu abathengisa izihlangu ezikhanyayo nosindiso kunye nezinja ezishushu, ukucofa rhoqo kunye nokukhwehlela kunye nokukhohlela kwabakhonkxi bezama ndingene kwimivalo yabo yokuqhawula kunye neeparlingi zokuthambisa. Ndinqwenela ukuba bendineteyipu yayo yonke loo nto, kuba loo ngxolo, ngaphezulu kwawo nawuphi na umfanekiso, ingalibamba ixesha.
Enye inkumbulo yam ebalaseleyo ngumbala opheleleyo wesithili ngexesha lasemini. Umbala otyheli ongacacanga-ndiza kuwubiza ngokuba yi-VA Hospital Mthubi-ugcwele wonke loo mmandla. Ukunyaniseka, yinto yokuqala endiyibonayo entlokweni yam xa ndicinga ngeTimes Square kwii-70s. Kwakubonakala ngathi kuyo yonke indawo, ngaphantsi kwemiboniso bhanyabhanya, kwimigca yodonga phakathi kwemigca engapheliyo yeevenkile ze-cigar kunye namabhotwe e-porn kunye nejusi emileyo kunye nee-arcades; kwaye olu tyheli, lungasetyenziswanga, kwaye lwalungonwabisi mthubi mveliso lwalungenako ukukhwazwa phantsi zizibane, nkqu neepowusta ezibhengeza iifilimu ezingamanyala zazikhutshiwe zosulelwa nguloo mbala.
Ngaba i-Times Square yayiyingozi?
Makhe ndiqaphele ukuba njengendoda emhlophe (ndisemncinci kwaye ndingu-naïve njengoko ndandinjalo ngelo xesha) amava am kwi-Times Square Classic azokwahluka kakhulu emva koko amava omfazi okanye umntu onombala. Ndiyakuqonda oku, ke ndiza kuwuphindaphinda lo mbuzo: Njengendoda emhlophe ekwishumi elivisayo, ngaba ndaziva ngathi iTimes Square yayiyindawo eyingozi okanye eyoyikisayo?
Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo. Andithandabuzi ukuyithetha loo nto.
Oku kungenxa yezinto ezimbini: Okokuqala, andizibonisanga njengesongelo okanye umthengi. Ukuba wawungeyongo okanye umthengi kwi-Times Square, wawubonakala ungabonakali kakuhle. Okwesibini (ngakumbi nangakumbi), ndazigcina kum. Ukuba umntu ebenokundibuza ukuba leliphi iqhinga lam eliphambili lokuhlala ndikhuselekile kwisikolo esidala i-Times Square, bendiya kubaxelela, andikhange ndibabone ngamehlo nabani na, kwaye okona kubaluleke kakhulu, andikhange ndijikeleze ngokungathi ngabom hayi ukudibana kwamehlo. Bendingumntu nje ohamba esiya kwenye indawo, bendingathengi, ndithatha okanye ndithengisa. Ukuhamba ngethuku, ukuqonda okuqhelekileyo, okanye ngenxa yokuba ndandingxolisa ingoma yeJam ephazamisayo entlokweni yam, ndacinga ngeshishini lam.
Oko akutsho ukuba andizange ndizive ndikhuselekile. Omnye wemisebenzi yam yesiqhelo yayikukubeka ikopi yokubhaliselwa Cofa ibhulukhwe kungena kwiimvulophu, emva koko ndilayishe zonke iimvulophu kwindawo enkulu yokubamba ngesandla endiya kuthi ndiyisuse kwi-ofisi yethu ngomhla wama-42 kunye no-Broadway ndiye kwi-Ofisi enkulu yePosi yeTimes Square kwisitalato sama-42 phakathi kwendlela ye-8 neye-9. Ngamanye amagama, le ndlela yokuhambahamba indithathe ngqo ngokuqhwanyaza, ukuqinisa, ukubetha, Intliziyo yePeeplanding yeTimes Square. Ndenza lo myalezo rhoqo, ndibamba ngesandla ngesandla esigcweleyo (inqaba yeemvulophu yayihlala inyuka iye kwinqanaba leendlela) kwiindlela ezixineneyo ezinoluhlobo loonobumba onokucinga ngalo ngomhla wama-42 phakathi kwe-8 ne-9 kwiminyaka yee-1970. Ndisoloko ndizibuza ukuba kutheni umntu engakhethanga kum ngenxa yokufuna ukwazi, ndizibuza ukuba loluphi uhlobo lwe-stash ebendiyiphethe. Kodwa khange yenzeke.
Phambi kokuba ndibonakale ndimhle kakhulu, mandiqaphele ukuba bekukho iindawo ezimbini ezindikhulule ngendlela enkulu, kakhulu mihla le.
Andikaze ndibone nantoni na enje ngesitishi se-Times Square Subway ngelo xesha. Uhle waya esihogweni esishushu semisindo eyoyikisayo, ukubetha, ingqumbo enomsindo ye-gamelan kunye nokuphelelwa lithemba. Yayingumzi ngaphakathi kwesixeko, isixeko esiya kuso. Kwakubonakala ngathi akukho mthetho. Ndandiqinisekile ukuba kukho abantu abahlala apho, abasebenza apho, bekhohlisa apho kwaye besifa apho, abangazange bakubone ukukhanya kwemini. Nantoni na eyayisenzeka ngaphezulu komhlaba yayisenzeka kabini ukuxinana kunye nokuphindaphindwe kane umthamo phantsi kwezitrato. Oku kuye kwadityaniswa bubume be-labyrinthine besikhululo ngokwaso, esandayo saza sangena kwisivumelwano ngokungcolileyo, ukuqhwatywa, kunye nokudideka. Ndandi spelunked kwi Times Square Station mihla le, kwaye ngalo lonke ixesha ndiqaphela ivenkile yedonut eyayibhengeze iranger tangerine neon, DONUTS BAKED IN PREMISES. Qho xa ndibona lo mqondiso ndicinga kum, ngekhe kubengcono kwishishini ukuba lithi NGOKUQINISEKILEYO AKUNGABHAKI APHA? Kutheni le nto umntu enokuqhayisa ngento yokuba iimpahla zakhe ezibhakiweyo zenziwe ngenene kwi-sigmoid colon yehlabathi?
Kwakukho enye indawo eyandicaphukisayo: Le yayiyindawo engenamntu kwikona esezantsi-mpuma ye-42nd Street kunye ne-8th avenue, ngqo ngaphesheya kwePort Authority (mhlawumbi yayiyindawo yokupaka, andikhumbuli). Ukuba iipavumente zesithili yayiyimakethi evulekileyo apho abathengisi babekhangela abathengi (kwaye ngokuchaseneyo), eli qashiso yayiligumbi lokulinda kubo bonke abathengisi, isango lokuhamba lodidi oluphangaleleyo. Ndisacinga ngesi siqwenga somhlaba sesona sibi sesona sakha sakha sasibi kwisiXeko saseNew York.
Ndiya kuqaphela ukuba eyona mveliso ibonakalayo yesithili khange ibandakanyeke ngokukodwa kum. Kwiminyaka eyi-16 ndagcina impumlo yam icocekile ngokukodwa. Ndandiyinto ecekethekileyo neyothusayo kwaye iingcinga zam malunga nothando kunye nomnqweno zazisongelwe kakhulu kwimbono yempungutye engenakufikeleleka kwi-blouse yabalimi ekufuneka kunqulwe ukuba kungenzeki, kungenzeki kwaye kuphelele.
Phantse amashumi amane eminyaka kamva, ndishiyeke ngesakhelo senkumbulo-umgca wesikwere senkumbulo. Ndicinga ukuba ndiyayithanda loo ndlela, kuba ndinguye imvakalelo into endiyikhumbulayo, endaweni yokukhumbula umfanekiso. Xa sinomfanekiso wesiganeko, ukusukela ngelo xesha ukukhankanywa komsitho kuya kubuyisa umfanekiso, hayi inkumbulo.
Ke ndinokufikelela kuphela kwiinkumbulo zam ngokufikelela ngaphakathi nangasemva, kwaye kuvela ezinye izinto ezingahleliwe: Ndikhumbula imvakalelo yokuthandabuza yandifikela xa ndafumanisa ukuba umarike webhotwe lase-porno elisezantsi-eofisini kufutshane neofisi yethu umane ephinda-phinda amagama afanayo kwimarike yabo veki nganye-Horny, Lesbo, Deep, Hot, Love, Action, Slave, Teacher, Throat-ukunika umbono wokuba banee-movie ezintsha. Kwaye ndiyakhumbula ndijonge iMcGraw Hill Building emangazayo, ulwandle kunye ne foamy ngomdaka kwaye ligobile njenge ntombazana endala yekwayara. Kwiintsuku ngaphambi kokuba banxibe ezindala, bachitha indawo yeqonga kwiimpahla zeDisney kwaye bayihombisa le ndawo kwiglasi ekhanyayo yeShinjuku, wayethambekele kwinkqubo efana nomakazi olumkileyo, ongcolileyo kodwa onekratshi. Namhlanje akabonakali nje.
Phantse zonke izixeko ezikwiplanethi zineziko eliphosakeleyo kwintlalontle yalo, indawo apho umnqweno udibana nezorhwebo. Oku kungaphaya kwesiqhelo, kwaye ezi ndawo zingumongo wokuzonwabisa kunye nenkcubeko yoluntu ihluthwe ubuqili kunye nokuzenzisa. Yongeza umaleko kumaleko wemali kunye nentengiso kwi-Times Square endala, kwaye unayo Ukugcina kunye neeKardashians . Ngokwenene. Ndiyayixabisa into yokuba iManhattan isoloko ihamba, ihlala ingahambelani, kodwa ndisayikhumbula i-Times Square endala; kwaye ndiziva ndinethamsanqa kangangokuba ngexa lam lokuba yinkwenkwana yeofisi ekwishumi elivisayo kwelona phephancwadi le-rock libalaseleyo emhlabeni ndaye ndalifumana.
UTim Sommer yimvumi, umvelisi werekhodi, owayesakuba ngummeli weAtlantic Records A&R, WNYU DJ, umbhaleli weMTV News, kunye noVH1 VJ, kwaye ubhalele iimpapasho ezinje Cofa ibhulukhwe kwaye Ilizwi leLali .
