SIGN LANGUAGE, PT.2

Sunrise over Manhattan, September 15:
When we Northeasterners yearn for California skies, this isn't what
we had in mind.

As summer makes way for autumn, changes are in the air -- literally. Today, hazy smoke from the West Coast fires have settled over New York. You've flown 3,000 miles just for us? We're honored!

But you know what hasn't changed? Signs. Signs meant to inform or amuse, but which usually rile or confuse. And so, as with part one, let's stroll around the neighborhood to see what people have to say, and whether it's worth saying at all.

Well, how else are you going to prevent a rusty old table frame from being stolen? Besides, how do we know that the light pole isn't locked to the table? Answer me that, wise guy!

The fence at the 86th entrance of Carl Schurz Park continues to be a magnet for BLM messages. This is one offers several at once, which can lead to some confusion. For instance, if read incorrectly, the bottom part orders you to VOTE EVEN IF YOU FEEL SEXIST RACIST BIDEN IS NOT RADICAL ENOUGH. Gee, isn't Trump sexist and racist enough?

Now this is how you write a political screed. No confusion, just a direct message. The funny thing is, it could have been posted by someone from Black Lives Matter or All Lives Matter or No Lives Matter -- everyone hates our idiot mayor.  #TellMeAboutIt. 

        

If something smells fishy this election year, it's because of the sushi department in our local grocery store. The nice thing about the Trump Roll is that it's soft enough for him to chew in case his dentures fall out again.

And to make the Biden Roll that much more authentic, it's had a little nip and tuck around the edges to give it that "refreshed" look.

On August 5, Tropical Storm Isaias (what, was Ivy too easy to pronounce?) invaded New York. Five minutes after going up outside Carl Schurz Park, this sign quit its job. But it's the thought that counts.

Speaking of Isaias, there was another sign that took some damage. There's a sign in the park identifying the boardwalk along the East River as John Finley Walk. Before the storm, it looked like this:

Charming, yes? Even the seagull realized it would made a dandy photo-op. Unfortunately, after the storm, Mr. Finley was badly hurt:

Somehow, the cement-embedded sign that survived Hurricane Sandy in 2012 couldn't stand up to Isaias. There it lay for almost six weeks, the victim of scavengers eager to steal the letters for their own nefarious reasons, and a Parks Department that seemed to have better things to do -- until yesterday:

Unfortunately, nobody thought to fix the damn thing. So now we're walking along NF LE LK, while Mr. Finley's legs are still disconnected from the rest of his body. And it's staying up only through the courtesy of yellow police tape. All Signs Matter!

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Part 1 of Sign Language can be found here.