I sat on a bench in Columbus Park drinking a can of sugarcane juice, watching the passers-by. Nearby, a group of elderly Chinese were lined up in neat rows, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather by performing their regular Tai Chi routines while young families walked past. English and Chinese conversations stand against the faint backdrop of many clothes rustling, feet shuffling against the concrete. They’re taking their time, enjoying the mid-day sun’s warmth. There were many others, also of advanced age, seated at the nearby tables playing cards and conversing with each other in Chinese. A short distance away, a group of teens were playing a pick-up game of soccer as their friends watch and talk trash. As I got up to leave, my exit is punctuated by the sound of their ball being punted into the fence surrounding them.
I decided to go down Mott Street towards Canal. The street is lined with gift shops, restaurants, and the occasional café. Young employees worked the counters at newer bubble tea shops with brightly lit menus, taking orders in confident Chinese and English. A trio of tourists stood at the corner looking at their phones and back to a paper map, discussing aloud in German how to get to their unseen destination. As I round the corner onto Canal, I hear the familiar call of bootleg merchandise. Men and women sling the names of Rolex, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton to the passersby, as though they were casting fishing nets into a rushing stream.
