Christmas in Brooklyn

M's charming street is lined with wrought-iron railings tied with red velved bows, awnings draped in lights, and houses with decorations that blink in time to holiday music. At the corner several Christmas trees lean up against each other, waiting to be bought, and the man selling them smiles at children whose colorful coats sparkle against the white port-o-potty that inexplicably reads, in graffiti,"rollerblade!"

There is always too much to say about these visits. I stayed in Brooklyn this time and saw (and tasted) some of the favorite haunts of dear friends, such as where Maya Angelou, Robert DeNiro and Lil Kim get their red velvet cake. I bought red patent leather shoes in the Green Point, ate Polish potatoes and drank the best coffee (with an amazing doughnut, but not quite as good as Congdon's in Maine, and their maple creams) at Peter Pan while chatting with old people. And then I saw some crazy good sculptures by the man who did the voice of Ludo in Labyrinth. I want to sit him down with Duane Hansen and listen to what they have to say. Only Duane Hansen is dead.

There were so many things I earmarked to record in my image journal, but I should have written them down then. Because now the old man repairing the edifice of the church is blurring at the edges, and the four girls in matching patent leather shoes are fading away.