"I’m going into town," is what I say when I have plans in Manhattan. It sounds sort of quaint,  as if Manhatttan is a small town just a few minutes by horse and buggy, when, in fact, it is a teeming metropolis 30 subway-minutes away.

The longer I live and work in Park Slope the more of a big deal it becomes to "go into town."  I used to work in the city every day.  Riding in at 8:30 a.m,  I’d read the Times standing, balancing in a car crowded with commuters. I was a player then; a part of the ambition and energy that is New York City.  And during those long, hectic work days in Manhattan, the Slope felt very far away.

Then my career changed direction. I now work in a small office in an old mansion in Park Slope.  More and more of my work is conducted over the telephone, by e-mail and fax. When necessary, messengers or Federal Express can bridge the distance between here and wherever something needs to be.

Now, I only go into town for occasional business meetings, dental appointments, some culture, or lunch with friends. A born and bred Manhattanite (yes, that rare breed), I feel like a tourist now and the stimulating streetscape is like a drug. I am all eyes and ears, taking in the latest architecture, the shining stores and the styles in a state of exhilaration.

I enjoy my quick trips into Manhattan, my forays into a life I no longer lead. But I am always happy to emerge from the F-train Slope-side. My breathing slows as I ease into the slower pace, the familiar faces, the parade of children from stroller tots to teens on Seventh Avenue.

Fortified for the time being,  my return to Manhattan is assured; I am always ready for more.

Yours From Brooklyn,
OTBKB