It wasn’t the expected perfect storm, hardly a storm at all, defined only by gusty winds and light rain. On the other hand, it was a tsunami tidal wave accompanied by a black-out. As explained by one friend, who annually sails his two mast schooner along the Atlantic Coast from Maryland to Saugerties on the Hudson River, there was a great mega wave hundreds of miles across which produced a huge tidal surge along our coast and up our tidal rivers. Somewhere out in the ocean, there was an opposite tidal valley where the sea dropped an equal amount.
Late Monday night, October 29, the Hudson River surged over the West Side Highway and slithered one and a half blocks up Jane Street, filling cellars with sea water. Con Edison added to the impact by instituting a five day black-out in Manhattan south of 25th Street, leaving us with no light at night and for those in elevator buildings, with long flights of stairs to climb. Don and Joyce Healy, owners of 39 Jane, met the challenge head on. They installed a gasoline powered electricity generator for lights, cooking and charging cell phones; they purchased and cooked a hundred hamburgers and rolls, while Danilo Romero of Bonsignor made delicious salads. Ken Manley, the owner of Manley’s Wine and Spirits around the corner donated two cases of wine. Hundreds of neighbors, near and far, showed up. Another 200 burgers had to be grilled and still more people came, taking turns attaching their phones to the extension cords snaking out Medusa like onto the sidewalk. It was a late night and the most joyous block party Jane Street has ever seen. Joyous friendship in the face of Sandy.
