Slip Sliding Away

(1996)
 
In 1996 NYC gets 20” of snow in January.
The City comes to a standstill.
Cars are parked in with snow up to the roof
after the garbage trucks have plowed the streets.
 
I am sitting at my window on the third floor
when a lone person is walking down the street
and he hits an ice patch.
He begins slipping and sliding,
 
His feet fly like Fred Flinstone starting up his
caveman vehicle made of wood, stone and animal skin.
His feet move like the Road Runner on take-off.
 
In the winter pedestrians 3-4 second ice dance,
 
He moves as gracefully as a “sand” tap dance
             by Billy “Bojangles” Robinson,
                                    Fred Astaire,
                                                Sammy Davis Jr.,
                                    Rubberneck Holmes or
                     Michael Jackson
 doing the moon walk.
 
The New Yorker looks around to see if anyone
has seen him do the ice dance.
           
Satisfied no one has seen him,
He pulls down on a jacket and
with a coy smile he walks away.
 
He does not know I have seen him.
I applaud his balance and ability
to stay on his feet and not take a duffer.