It's not very often that you get to sing Happy Birthday to someone turning 100--let alone 106. But this Thanksgiving we were honored to join the neighbors in Sunnyside Gardens who have turned out for the past few years to celebrate Ethel Plimack, Sunnyside's oldest resident. I haven't been in town other years or I couldn't pop out from the stove, but this year I knew I had to try. And I'm glad we did. With the turkey already roasting, I gathered the girls and Nacho and we ran over to 46th Street just half the way down to see the crowd already assembled just before noon. It was a gray day with a light rain developing, but that didn't dampen the mood one bit. Roger Hitts poured some celebratory champagne which they encouraged Ethel to enjoy. She took a small sip and seemed to pucker a bit at the taste, but she smiled big and we all had a nice laugh. Yes, I can imagine that at 106 day drinking with your neighbors isn't something that happens often, but man, what an occasion. Elisa and Carolina were a bit shy to go up to say happy birthday to her, but Skylar had a rose and plucked them along with her to pay their respects. I told Elisa how Ethel used to chat with me when I'd see her on my way back from Sunnyside Gardens Park with Elisa riding along in the stroller. She once asked me which house I lived in and I had to admit I could only dream of living on her street. She remarked at how big Elisa was getting and I might have even been pregnant then with Carolina. It's hard to believe that Ethel was already 98 when Elisa was born. She's the living embodiment of all that I wish I knew about Sunnyside. I've thought many times of what I would ask if I could interview her. I have such a curiosity about the neighborhood and all of its history. I suppose at 106 there is as much that you've forgotten as remember, but somehow I have the feeling Ethel knows quite a bit. Singing to her was just a small way of saying thank you for being part of this community for so many years. I'm glad to have been there on that special day. It makes living here feel like a real small town in the big city.
No comments:
Post a Comment