Hot Hot Heat

I tried not to move this weekend. On Sunday I sat on my couch under the fan and merely moved my fingers when I needed to change the channel or type a note.

On Saturday I tried to hide in air conditioning. Looking for something to do, I flipped through old mail that I haven't had time to sift through. I found a brochure from the Rubin Museum of Art, dedicated to the art of the Himalayas and the surrounding areas. I had never heard of it. Reading the brochure, I learned it had opened in late 2004. I showered and walked up to 17th street.

The museum is housed in an old department store. The galleries surround a spiral staircase that winds its way through the center of the space, connecting all six floors and the basement. The rooms are dark; the art leaps off the walls.

At intervals, monks from the Dupong Cromang Monestary chanted in the main lobby. Their voices drifted up through the galleries.

I took my time through the lower galleries, but soon felt overwhelmed. The heat from the past week had softened my head and attention span. I left for Barnes and Nobles.

The bookstore was crowded. I wedged myself into a corner and read a few chapters of the new Harry Potter. I had meant to compare notes on Morocco, but couldn't find the Rough Guide to that country. But soon, the crowds became too much and I walked home. And there, I sat on my couch beneath the fan and longed for the heat to dissipate.
Posted by eku at August 15, 2005 10:34 AM