Brooklyn Heist

Couldn't get to sleep so I scrammed early in the morning & headed for parts unknown in Brooklyn. The smell of cut grass hit my nostrils as I emerged from the subway in Brooklyn Heights. Followed Montague Street to the promenade, with its panoramic view of the Manhattan financial district, Statue of Liberty, & expanse of Brooklyn Bridge. One of those moments when it occurs to me exactly how immense this city is, helicopters flying beneath the tallest buildings. Habitual early risers were out jogging or walking their dogs. I browsed through the stacks of used books at Heights Bookstore just after they opened, then had pancakes at a Montague cafe. Grabbed a handful of maps from the visitor's center, then wandered around downtown Brooklyn for a bit. Caught the subway for Prospect Park. Climbed a hill with a perky Statue of Liberty in view behind me, & found the storefront that was used as Harvey Keitel's cigar store in the film Smoke. It's now a Western Union. Walked up the west side of Prospect Park, lavish houses on the left. Poked my nose in the Brooklyn Public Library to the north of the park, sat in an easychair reading Lovecraft's "The Horror of Red Hook" from a collection of noir stories set in Brooklyn. Story interrupted by a hefty man snoring two chairs away. Took the bus that ran along Flatbrush Avenue, which returned me downtown. Crossed back to Manhattan & walked past a crowded Wall Street, still heavily under guard. Followed Broadway to City Hall, where I stood in the park, neck craned, watching nerveless windowcleaners dangling off the side of the Bank of New York skyscraper. Got home in the early evening, finally able to sleep.