Alone in Times Square

I’m used to racing through Times Square.  Equipment backpack on, I weave through throngs of tourists on my way to different theaters to capture Broadway imagery.  Sometimes I see how swiftly I can get to my destination without having to stop for any traffic jam or “Don’t Walk” sign.

But when I journeyed to the theater district last week I found myself almost unable to move.  There was no obstacle in my way.  Just the sight of open space; unlike the Times Square I’d known since my childhood.  Amidst the COVID-19 crisis it’s become an eerie sight, where the only occasional companion is a mask blowing by like a tumbleweed in the street. 

I journeyed through.  It was nearly silent save for the passing cop car patrolling the neighborhood.  All the billboards and theater marquees remained lit, acting as a beacon of hope for the time when theater goers will once again stand beneath their glow.  I love this community with all my heart and cannot wait to see these streets and theaters filled again.