[FIPS WAS THERE...] People's Climate March

I’m very happy to have dragged my ass out of Park Slope and into Manhattan to be “part of history” (we know this because before the march, the organizers Deloreaned themselves right into the future to confirm we’d made history), even though 2 of my companions, 10-year-olds with tired feet, couldn’t quite push through the last 4 blocks to the Javits Center to witness the end game. No matter, it still gave me an opportunity to play Brooklyn’s favorite parlor game: How Many People Did You Run into That You Know?

Before I launch into the somewhat disappointingly low numbers, let me stress that my small party were at a disadvantage in the game because we did not join one of the many (many) groups from Brooklyn marching together. We free-formed it, just hopped in as the march was approaching its 2nd to last leg, on 42nd and 7th, and ambled pleasantly along, without an affiliation.

Even with that disadvantage, I ran into 2 friends, and my adult companion ran into at least 3 that she knew. Yes, all from Brooklyn. In a gathering of, according to the organizers, 400,000, we saw 5 people we knew. You see what I’m getting at? Brooklynites are like Jews: there are at least a small number of us everywhere, and we all know each other.

But I’d also be curious to know what percentage of the march identify as Brooklynites. Ima gonna guess double digits.

But for realz, folks, an impressive gathering that I hope results in some real change. Park Slope, we love us our Earth.