Mein New York: Letter to D.C. Klein, Manhattan

Dear David

In the last weeks I wrote three little articles about New York, my favourite city in the world. Just to give some advice to my parents for their adventure at the big apple. One was about my gladness concerning this trip in general, one about Coney Island/Brighton Beach and one about seeing Manhattan from the Hudson.
Today, one day before their departure, I close this serial with this letter to you.

First of all, let me thank you. For being a part of my childhood memories (and the ones of my 4 brothers and sisters). There was always this mysterious gentleman somewhere very far away, something like a phenomenon. This man was living with a very nice little daughter by the name of Kelly (I always loved the sound of her name) in a Skyscraper (that’s what I thought). Maybe I also heard the word «jewish» then for the first time. My mother Hanny had only good words for you and the time she spent in NYC. And regularly some pieces of evidence for your existency arrived in Winterthur/Switzerland. Flowers and nuts from Hawaii, postcards from exotic destinations, and every week – the New Yorker Magazine. That’s how I learned about good quality writing and journalism. Even if I don’t understood this magazin, I knew it was great. Later on, when I was around fifteen, I collected the front covers and I papered my room door with it. It looked great and that was SO EXCLUSIVE, nobody else had that.
Later on I had the chance to learn more about the city and to take several trips. Do you remember once we met in this italian winebar around the corner of your office? We spent some hours and glasses and it was great to meet – finally – the phantom himself. A milestone. I was then couple of years older as my mother was in her NY-time. You met my expectations surprisingly good and it was really funny.

In the last years we pushed mom (and dad too of course) continuosly to make this trip. To be honest: I didn’t believe that would happen once. Now – they are finally on the way. What an adventure. I hope, they pace themself in this incredible city and the expectations are not too high.

And here starts the second part of this letter. Three askings:

1) Please be patient with my parents. Even if they are very cultured cosmopolitans, please consider – most of their holidays they spend at a beautiful and calm seaside village in tuscany. No building has more than 4 floors. And remember, even if my parents have young “souls”, they are getting elderly people slowly but surely and I don’t know if they can take on with the speed of a new york survivor.

2) Push my parents. Sounds contradictorily to 1) but I think there is no reason to hesitate confronting them with the uniqueness of this city. And who could do that better than you? I don’t think they will return to NY so soon, so let’s go.

3) Don’t scare them. I know – you Manhattanites would never move a foot to the other boroughs. But I’m sure they would love this trip trough Brooklyn to see Coney Island et cetera.

That’s it for the moment. I’m so anxious to hear stories about the trip.
I hope, I didn’t bore you with these words. They are addressed to you, but of course to my parents too.
Again – maybe you’ve never been aware about that – but thank you very much for having my mother in your house back then and for building this cultural bridge between Manhattan and Winterthur/Switzerland – just for everything you did and you do for my parents and our entire clan.

Yours
Dominik