The N train pulled out of the tunnel and onto the elevated ramp. The subway somehow does not spend much time on the pedestrian level. It either travels under the streets of New York, or it moves from station to station on those metal ramps placed right in the middle of often important streets.
So there we were, above the roofs of Queens, heading for Astoria. We were now on water-tower level, the sun turning the ones south of the train into jolly furry hats on thin metal legs. On one of the roofs the tower itself was missing. There was just this shadow of the metal feet left, right next to the emergency exit on the roof of an abandoned factory. I had about 5 seconds to jot it down, and so I did.
Not quite sure what made me draw the strange crown on the right hand side, but when I looked on the drawings just now, they turned sly blurry and drew together to become one.
And there the feet of a water-tower were a stand for a crown, and a crown was suddenly filled with no glory but emergency water.
And maybe neither of that. Maybe they are still drawings that spend most of their time sticking to each other, in a tiny book, on the bookshelf somewhere in an apartment on 95th and Broadway. (Now here, suddenly everywhere, for all to see.)
ah yes, the water towers on the tops of buildings--i remember how strange they looked when i first moved to ny. then i moved back home to minnesota and noticed for the first time the space-ship water towers in every town and neighborhood.
i love the phantom water tower.
hmm, witold in astoria? and no snowstorm going on?
im really intersted in the water towers of astoria, ny, because im researching the demolition or fall of a water twoer that once was there. it is EXTREMLY important that i figure out the mystery of the astorian water tower. ANYONE with ANY information at all PLEASE email me @ - SeussACK@aol.com and title the email : ASTORIAN WATERTOWER..please help!!!!!