Remembering

IN MY LATE TEENS my father decided I deserved to have some fun, so he started taking me places, cool places like new York and San Francisco and New Orleans. My theory is that dad just happened to be looking for a new drinking buddy, since all or most of his earlier ones had drifted away, as we do in America, and hey, I was approaching adulthood anyway, and could be nurtured as a chip off the old block. I had no objections, since I was so inclined in any event. So, we drank together, my father and I. I still can't decide whether I prefer being at the top of the Empire State building in the daytime or at night. Either way, its awesome, but totally different, depending on the time of day. I recall buying a six pack in times Square, and walking towards the World Trade Center while drinking it, and being very happy by the time I reached Battery park. I can't seem to remember where I stopped to go to the bathroom. That was forty years ago. Probably wouldn't do that again. I made sure to visit the observation deck on both the eighty sixth and the hundred and first floor; I'm not sure why, but I would probably do that again, for some reason. In 1975 it cost me three dollars, as I remember. Unless I'm dreaming, someone told me that now it costs about a hundred dollars to go to the top of the Empire State building. Surely that can't be right. I don't think I would be willing to pay that, but I was definitely willing to pay the three dollars forty two years ago. I would love to see the new trade center. It seems strange that its construction and opening were not covered in the media more prominently. As if we were trying to avoid calling attention to it, because we know that its another target for terrorists. The last time I was in Washington D.C. you could walk right up to the white House fence and look in. Is it true that you can no longer do that, or drive past the White House? If so, that's too bad. At the end of our days we have little left besides our memories, but we are fortunate to have even that. They become more expensive as we age.