As I sit outside Stuy Town, I notice certain things. One of the things I notice is how friendly and unfriendly Stuy Town is to residents. We can talk about how Stuy Town is primarily concerned about money from residents, but it also has other things that residents should be thankful for.
One of my eye-openers happened near the end of last year. I fell. It was a nice day and I decided to walk to Chinatown, using a foldable shopping cart to help me along and insert whatever when I would get there. Good idea, it seemed. But terrible outcome. The streets and particularly some corners were getting to be more of a physical nightmare. By the time I reached Houston Street, I was knocked down. A pedestrian took the blame, but I didn't know if it was him or me. I turned the corner, but that was as far as I could get to Chinatown. I decided to head back. Walking, of course. Then I fell again at a corner several streets away. Either I was too tried or my muscles gave way or mentally I surrendered.. Thankfully, a few New Yorkers, young too, helped me to sit on a small plastic chair that they grabbed from the coffee shop nearby.Then another young man spent time to flag a suitable taxi, even though he was on his way to work. I was able to get in the taxi and head back to Stuy Town. I was feeling well, but when I got out of the taxi, I couldn't make it. I fell again in front of my building. Two Public Safety officers came. I was actually in a good mood with them and joked around while I waited for my energy to return to head back to the building. But, after this and that, I finally was home. Safe and sound.
This was the start. The next two months or so, I didn't leave the building, and either called the deli for food or used my roommate to get things for me. With Covid, much had been set up to get things online. So I got familiar with that process.
I wasn't going to rush, however. Slowly I went outside in front of the building, with a walker now. Things proceeded. The Oval, Trader Joe's, Target.... I am exercising more and lessening the mental hangup that still hampers me. But I did notice certain things. Not only are the city streets difficult with a walker, but a lot outside, except for sitting, is a pain in the neck or legs.
This gets me to the gravel around the interior of the Oval. Though the gravel is less than it was, it is burdensome. Not just for walkers. People with shopping carts, carriages, etc. But Stuy Town wants a certain look. But that look with gravel on walkways is a handicap for those with mobility challenges.
Beware of leaf blowers, though. There are a lot of fallen leaves and these guys do not care that much about the dust and dirt flying around.
