Last night, we stumbled onto three astronomers on 55th Street/9th Ave. "Take a look. You won't be able to see this for another 12 years."
He meant the planet Jupiter, making its closest approach to Earth in nearly 50 years. It won't be as big or bright until the year 2022. That's ten years after the-end-of-the-world. A number that seems out-of-this-world.
Of course, in our New York nightlife ready costumes, I wasn't sure who was more out of this world. The middle-aged men who looked liked they stumbled out from the woods with a giant telescope, or the women in shoes known to shorten calf muscles.
I take a look.
Jupiter was a bright orange dot, like the thousands of bright lights that seem to send the city aloft. In the end, they were all stars in our eyes as we carve through the gridded city.
I think of Pac Man eating up the his bright dots. One day, I would like to eat up all the dots in the city. When I'm done, maybe I'll have reached Jupiter.
Thanks, star gazers in the city.