Greenwich Time

We still had plenty of afternoon left when we finished up at the Guggenheim, so we decided to take the subway to Greenwich Village. We had no particular destination in mind; we just wanted to wander around a bit and see what we could find.

As it happened, the subway stop was right by the Stonewall Inn...

...and the memorial in the adjacent Christopher Park.

For something so simple, I found it quite moving. It's kind of perfect that these statues are just two couples showing the most casual intimacy, out in broad daylight. It's so simple, and yet still quietly defiant -- because while it's really inspiring to think about how far we've come since June 28, 1969 (and it fills me with gratitude to think about how much I've personally benefited from it all), visiting the site of Stonewall also illustrated how much farther we still have to go.

At least, it did at the specific moment I was there, because standing just outside the gate of this tiny park was a man screaming to every passing person an aimless tirade about damnation and salvation. I was sad to have to hear it... but then also a bit amused at an exchange we overheard:

Obnoxious Idiot: "God sees everything you do!"
Passing Pedestrian: "Really? God is everywhere?"
Obnoxious Idiot: "Yes, God is everywhere!"
Passing Pedestrian: "Then he's up your ass!"

Maybe not the most clever take down imaginable, but it put a smile on my face in the moment. And it was fitting, as Stonewall stands above all for not taking any more shit you shouldn't have to.

We only explored a bit more of Greenwich Village, but I was still glad we went.