Our day will come

On the back of the truck:  1) Tiocfaidh ár lá, which means “Our day will come” in Irish, and 2) a shamrock with ITALIA written on the leaves and USA in the middle. How it all connects is anyone’s guess. Tiocfaidh ár lá was a slogan used by militant Irish Republicans in the 1980’s and was the last line in hunger striker Bobby Sands’ prison diary. (I’ll see the movie by artist Steve McQueen when it’s on video.) The urge to express oneself must be pretty strong when it means tracing a finger through a the grime on a truck.

P.S. I took this picture in Manhattan, but it was so much in the spirit of brooklynpix (an interesting sight, five minutes of research) I decided to include it here.

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Free postcard of Manhattan Bridge

Print this picture, carefully snip it out, and send to an out-of-town friend or acquaintance who thinks the Brooklyn Bridge is the only above-ground link between Manhattan and Brooklyn.

The Manhattan Bridge, a suspension bridge that crosses the East River and connects Canal Street and Flatbush Avenue Extension, opened to traffic in 1909. The bridge has four auto lanes, split between two levels, four subway tracks, and paths for pedestrians and bike riders.

I thought I’d found a place for Manhattan Bridge enthusiasts to gather, but it turns out the Manhattan Bridge Club is more concerned with cards than bridges.

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View from the F Train & a small mystery

Smith Street

The man at Battery Park informed me that, no, they don’t sell batteries. I called because I was hoping. He said, “I dunno,” when I asked where the business’ name came from.

Battery Park Industries is about two miles as the mop flies from Battery Park, Manhattan, and about half that to the Brooklyn entrance of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel (at left). These are uncertain times; add this nondescript store to the list of things beyond our understanding.

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