Two months later – September 2005
The atmosphere in the apartment became tense. Dave and Jackie frequently argued about their daughter. Jackie repeatedly reproached her husband bitterly for having insisted she keep the child when she fell pregnant. Had they not had their daughter, they could have lived in Manhattan instead of becoming Bridge and Tunnel commuters. New Yorkers had a running joke that New Jersey folk were crude and unsophisticated.
– Jon, why are New Yorkers so depressed?
– I don’t know.
– Because at the end of the tunnel there is New Jersey.
“What’s the point of living in this megalopolis if you don’t take advantage of all that New York has to offer?”, Jackie mused. “The suburbs are a huge greyish world, dull, cold and boring where you feel isolated, even though Manhattan is a mere 15 minutes away.” Jackie mourned the loss of her old, exhilarating life; the birth of her daughter had condemned her to motherhood duties: cooking, washing, cleaning, shopping, attending school meetings, worrying… until the day came when she’d become old and fat without realizing it, only to find out her husband had become infatuated with a younger, bubbly, far more attractive woman.
***
The reality of working at New Amsterdam Home was a huge disappointment. First of all, a working permit was far harder to obtain than anticipated because the Bush administration placed an annual cap on the number of visas issued, even for Canadians. Then, the office environment was highly stressful; Angela’s right-hand man, Francis, was a real asshole who demanded that all the staff devote themselves day and night to making New Amsterdam Home the leader in the real estate market. Several colleagues were jealous of Jon’s new position and, to add to his already high workload, he was required to take a law course to obtain his New York Licence as a Real Estate Agent. The young man felt completely overwhelmed and exhausted at the end of each day.
Strangely enough, Jon had not once seen Gabriel at work though they regularly talked on the phone. They often laughed together – they had fallen into a bad habit of gossiping and making fun of all the company employees. Trusting this new complicity, Jon raised some concerns: how his health insurance was due to expire in a week’s time and how he felt deeply concerned by the sheer number of work deadlines he was being given. Gabriel, silent at first, then reassured him by saying all the right things:
– “You can’t move forwards with fear. Insurance? Why spend so much money when you are young and so full of life. Think only positively! We create our own story. My advice: be a go-getter, stay happy and optimistic whatever the situation. You’ll succeed, I have no doubt about it whatsoever.”
Gabriel was turning a little more into a guru with each passing day.
***
As the weeks went by, using tunnels and bridges became a daily routine. The nocturnal fights between his brother and sister-in-law, the cocker spaniel’s constant barking, the buzz of the city, truck horns, deafening police and fire brigade sirens, the loud hum from the New York Subway’s ventilation system and shouting and swearing from stressed out New Yorkers were a constant soundtrack in Jon’s frazzled brain. At work, he still hadn’t yet mastered all the know-how. Francis was constantly on his back and Angela seemed more and more elusive and aloof. Stress became a natural part of his routine and days at the office got ever longer. He hadn’t yet been paid and deep exhaustion set in. Resting became impossible. All these terrible compromises seeped into his body and soul.
He spent the weekends on his own, or occasionally with a date. He liked to wander alone in this city he continued to love so much, despite his struggle to integrate. But one Sunday, he arranged a lunch with an acquaintance from his Montreal days.
HARLEM
On a beautiful sunny September day, when the weather was dry and pleasant, like it had been on 9/11, Dan invited him for a brunch on a flower-decked terrace on Malcom X boulevard. The two men shared a long, intense hug as if they had been through something terrible together. As they approached the chic, warmly lit bar Dan suggested, “Let’s revive our friendship with two Bloody Marys.”
Dan smiled at Jon with the stunning smile you only find in African American metrosexual men. He was dressed casually but smartly in an Abercrombie & Fitch polo and slim fitting jeans. He was 5 foot 10, muscular, with fine facial features and black, smooth skin. Had he been taller, he could certainly have been a successful model.
– I wanted to thank you properly for your help the night I was run down in Montreal. Without you, I would have had serious complications on my right knee.
– Please don’t, there’s no need. You should instead thank that doctor who so kindly treated you for free.
– Since the accident, I find that people are insufficiently aware of how lucky they are to be able to walk without pain. Body mobility is actually a miracle when you think about it.
– Yes, I agree. By the way, what was the name of the doctor who treated you?
– I don’t remember his name… A name finishing in “el”, perhaps? I wrote it down somewhere. I am sure I wrote it down. I’ll check when I get home. Anyway, changing the subject, do you enjoy living in New York?
– Yes, I love it. It’s like a dream come true.
– Life in New York is great but you need certain qualities to survive: a willingness to work hard, the ability to earn a good income, saving, investing, being tough inside while looking approachable and friendly to everyone you meet.
The year before, while taking a photo at the corner of St-Denis Street and Sherbrooke Avenue in Montreal, Dan had been run over by a speeding scooter whose driver immediately fled the scene. Dan had been in shock and his knee was bleeding badly. Jonathan, who witnessed the incident, took Dan to Saint-Luc Hospital where he was treated by a caring and benevolent doctor. Jonathan stayed all night with Dan at the hospital. Ever since, a strong friendship bound the two men.
Their conversation was interrupted by the waitress bringing two large plates of Jambalaya, a typical dish from the southern United States.
– Jonathan, are you okay? You seem a little pale to me.
– Yeah, it’s probably nothing. It must be the Tabasco, I put a little too much in the Bloody Mary.
– Please eat. It will do you good. Ah… you Frenchmen… only used to drinking wine!
Both begin their hearty dish, a sort of spicy American paella, a fusion of Spanish, African and French cuisine from Louisiana.
– Jonathan, have you been following the news lately? Did you see what happened with Katrina?
– Yes, terrible!
– And a total disgrace! New Orleans is one of my all-time favourite cities. You know what will happen next, the Republicans are going to take advantage of all the chaos to make it a white city. It will look more like a big theme park, like Disneyland. They will do nothing whatsoever to encourage the return of black people who fled and moved to Texas or northern Louisiana.
– Do you really believe that?
– Of course! Never forget that this country is fundamentally racist, especially in the former confederation states. American people will never vote for a black president. One day, they will put in power a racist billionaire, a complete asshole who will be a pawn of the NRA, you wait and see! To be elected in this country, you have to be super rich, corrupt, in love with guns, appearing uneducated and above all with a simplistic, direct speech style. The average American is a sucker for it!
– One always tends to be more critical when judging one’s own country. Personally, I think of America as the place where everything is possible. It’s the land of opportunities and freedom where the State doesn’t intrude – there’s less red tape and fewer taxes here than anywhere I’ve ever been.
– That’s because you’re white. Your view is biased. Let me remind you that 40 years ago we had an apartheid system here in the US. Moreover, this freedom you speak of exists only from a European point of view. Think of the First Nations, their freedoms have been destroyed by the insatiable greed of white entrepreneurs.
– I think you are harsh in your analysis. I don’t think America has been guided by any particular racist doctrine. I believe that the paradigms were based only on enrichment, the desire to improve one’s own life. All societies have been steeped in slavery, whether African, Arab, Asian or European. Only those who acquire technological superiority manage to prosper by dominating others. Therein lies the tragedy of the human condition and…
Jonathan’s impressive delivery was interrupted by a sharp pain in his chest.
– Are you OK? asked Dan, looking worried.
– Not really… I have pain in my chest and left arm… It’s probably because I did weights at the gym.
– When were you last at the gym?
– Yesterday evening.
– Perhaps it’s just muscle pain. You must have pulled something.
Jon felt another pain and an urge to go to the bathroom. He needed to evacuate one way or another. He apologized to Dan and went to the loos… he was sweating. He remembered his father’s death. His dad had died of a heart attack at the age of 45; his body was found lying on the floor in the restroom during a heat wave in Paris. Was history about to repeat itself? Once back at the table, Jonathan, anxious, described his symptoms, how the sharp pang in his heart made him think of his father’s sudden death.
– We’ll take a Yellow Cab to the hospital in Harlem, it’s the closest to here. Best to be on the safe side. What’s your brother’s number?
Jonathan gave it to him. Dan paid the bill and immediately hailed a taxi right outside the restaurant. He called David to explain the situation.
– Poor Jon. Dan, thanks for letting me know. What hospital are you going to?
– North General Hospital.
– Nope! Take my brother to Mount Sinai on Madison Avenue.
– I think the one in Harlem would be better because it’s closer.
– No, listen carefully to what I’m telling you: take him to the Sinai. The Jews will take better care of my brother. Do you understand?
– OK. Got it.
– Can you put me onto Jon please.
– Look, make sure he takes you to Mount Sinai Hospital.
– I have a problem.
– Yes, I know. But everything will be fine. You will be in good hands. Actually, the best.
– No, it’s regarding my health insurance.
– What about it? What’s wrong with your insurance?
– It expired last week.
– Don’t worry. Just give a fake address. You won’t be the first to do that.
