People go to Mecca, Thailand, India, etc. for spiritual insight, Others seeking personal meditative space have weekend homes upstate or can jet somewhere at will…. but for those of us of humble monetary means I can attest to the fact that some of the most crucial moves made in my life were carefully weighed for pros and cons beforehand, on a fire escape; the one place where the noise of the city can be as serene as the the sound of wild life in the woods.

My godfather owned a rent-controlled apt on 8th ave. and 56th st. I would apt. sit for him all the time. It was a cool small split level old artists studio with a sky roof. Always smelled of incense and espresso. The radio always on Jazz 88. We called that small place “the Gazebo”.

I spent many summers nights and days on the fire escape of that building watching the madness roll by. Witnessed a few road rage attacks, domestic interludes, heat strokes, killer sound systems. Felt like a pigeon scoping the city from above.

Slept under the stars on a futon on hot night on that fire escape. Invited a bunch of redneck musician friends of mine from lewisburg and fleetwood PA to do an unplugged jam up there. Caused alot of people to look up and check out the great music.

I lived in the East Village, and when I didn’t want to be found I would head to that apt. and that “escape” and just enjoy the peace.