KITTERZTOO.COM: New York City Part 3: My Marathon Continued

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New York City Part 3: My Marathon Continued

"Push through the pain! You can do this!" I screamed at myself. Fact of the matter was, I struggled to breathe. It was like a sauna out in the open, despite the wonderful breeze from the water. I slathered on sunscreen as I knew there wouldn't be any shade from here on out. The heat was really getting to me. What I didn't realize at the time was my new medication was dropping my blood pressure too far. Every time I stood up, I felt like my legs were lead and I was light headed. At this point, I think I hit the wall, but knew I had to press on.

We got tickets and I took one look at the line. No place to sit and we were out in the open. Nichole suggested that perhaps she ask if there was any shade for me to sit in until the line caught up to us. I saw the police officer right near the wheelchair ramp, and decided to just go up and ask. I asked him if I could sit inside as I had a medical condition. He asked me what it was. I sort of lied. I said I had a heart condition, but at that point I wasn't about to tell the truth. As he waived us into the white tent, I suspected a major line. What I didn't realize was that this was a security station created because of the September 11th tragedy.

A line of 4 metal detectors and X-ray conveyor belts that reminded me of a Court House. Familiar with the drill, I shut off my phone, took everything out of my pockets, and placed it all in the bin on the conveyor belt. I silently was glad I hadn't brought my tiny Swiss Army pocket knife on my trip to NYC. It would have been in my purse. As walked through the metal detector, it went off.

"Wonderful," I thought. I knew I would be scanned by the metal detecting wand and it would be my underwire bra setting it off. Unfortunately, it didn't show anything. Confused, I looked at the other woman National Security Officer, and she told me to go back through, slowly.

I did it more slowly. It went off again. Shit. I could feel the people's eyes bore into me as they were also waiting to get through. I hate holding up the line. I turned and walked through it again. Again, it went off.

Oh this isn't good. I quickly took off my sandals and put them in the bin. I knew that was what had triggered it a year ago when I had to go to a Court House to pick up some documents. I felt reassured that my sandals were the problem. I just knew it.

Beep, beep, beep...

What the fuck?! Finally, the officer yelled over the top of the crowd for me to hold out my arms in front of me, palms meeting together, and walk very slowly through the detector. My heart began to race as I went back through the detector and assumed the position instructed. Inside, I silently hoped this would work.

I began to inch through the detector slowly. I literally held my breath as the main part of my body hit the sensor. I swear I literally was saying "please, please, please" over and over as I walked through. Not hearing a sound, I quickly scraped up my items out of the bin, and whipped my sandals back on. I didn't want to hold up anyone behind me. I just knew I was the only idiot who couldn't make it through the metal detector. Then I heard the familiar beep as I sat down. I realized I wasn't the only one. I knew I was halfway there. Now to battle the line to the ferry.

We exited the security station and I suddenly felt like I was cattle. There isn't a line to stand in. Instead there's a crowd formation, with only a commercial grade fan to circulate the stifling hot air. At that point, I knew there was no hope in trying to keep my shirt dry. I couldn't help but be relieved that my shirt wasn't see-through. Once on the ferry, I was bummed there were no seats up top, but at that point, staying in the shade was fine by me. I quickly bought some Gatorade and shuddered at the taste. It's sort of like knowing you have to take your medicine to get better, so either drink it or risk needing an ambulance later. Sitting on one of the benches on the ferry, I could look across the Hudson River toward the skyline as we inched our way toward the Statue of Liberty.

The expanse of the water, a very large bridge in the haze to my right, and the slow pitch of the boat over the waves reminded me of going to Mackinac Island from the mainland by ferry. I was amazed how relaxing it was. I tried desperately to record what I saw permanently onto my soul. I know I would most likely not be back any time soon. I had this aching need to remember it all verbatim in extensive detail.

Then, she came into view on my side of the ferry. The Statue of Liberty may seem like to some as just this statue in the water, but I had no real sense of knowing how big it was until just then. I thought there were flowers around the base of the statue, but as the ferry moored to the dock, I realized they were people and not flowers. I managed to exit the steep ramp and walk to the gift shop. The blast of air conditioning was a welcome relief. I managed to squat down in a corner to unlock my back spasm. Nichole and her friend went to go look at the statue while I began to figure out what souvenirs I was going to bring back to the girls. I finally settled on a pressed copper coin the thickness of the Statue of Liberty, a few postcards, and a couple of Kooky pens.

Just as I sat down outside, trying to take in the surroundings by calming my body and feeling the atmosphere, Nichole walked up to me and said we should probably get in line on the dock. I knew I had to do the two things I've always wanted to do: take soil from the base and take a picture of the back of the statue. She said they could wait if I wanted to walk around to the front. I made a split second decision to forgo doing that. I knew I had to make it back to the subway, and I knew I was already on borrowed time. I'd done what I wanted to do. I saw the statue in person, and walked more than I had ever.

I was so glad to be back on the ferry going back, and enjoyed seeing the skyline once again. As I stepped off the ferry, I started to get a migraine. What next? Someone shoot me? I was seriously beginning to wonder if I was going to have a heart attack. My chest hurt, I couldn't catch my breath, my back was trashed, and now a migraine. Wonderful. I became a robot at that point. I just followed the other two into the subway.

Once into the stifling underground world of New York City, I was of no help determining which line to take. I swear at that point, I was just really fucked. I needed to get back to the hotel. I was willing to pay a $50 cab fare if I had to. Somehow we managed to get on the wrong subway going the wrong direction. I fought to take each step up the stairway. My left leg was dragging now from the nerve impingement in my spine. After asking for subway directions up on street level, it was back down and on the correct subway back. I collapsed into a cab back to the hotel. I was at the home stretch.

Once back at the hotel in my room, I stripped naked, and lay on my back in the spare bed as my chest heaved trying to catch my breath. It wasn't working to bring my heart rate down, so I took a cold shower to cool down. As the cold water soothed my aching and painful muscles, I realized, I'd done it. I'd walked the furthest I'd ever gone. It was my marathon. I completed it. Sure there wasn't a single place in my body that didn't hurt, but I finished.

I knew then, that if I could do that, I could do anything with perseverance.

To be continued...