When the moon was in the 7th house and Jupiter aligned with Mars

The thing I miss the most now is the absence of sudden wow surprise that was so much a part of our lives back when we were young and new here and Gerald Ford told us to drop dead.  I lived a floor below my best friend Michael in the Village. He dealt with AIDS for too many years and would eventually spend an entire summer in St. Vincents. One New Years Eve afternoon, I bought caviar and a few other things I wouldn't ordinarily and planned to ring things in with my bestie and our close, nutty neighbor Miss Baby. My then jazz musician boyfriend Kirk called and said, lets go over to Tom's loft (where he hosted legendary New Years parties). Tom was Hair's director on Broadway. I told him I had to pass because I had plans with my pals. He said invite them. I doubted Michael would be up to it but, I doubted wrong. That night, we taxied in a snowstorm to lower Broadway. The walls were adorned with Tom’s famous collection of bizarre musical instruments from around the world. Mister Rogers once filmed in his home. Digeradoos, sousaphones, sitars, dulcimers, pan flutes, kalimbas - wood and brass curiosities hung on his wide walls in order of their history. Everyone chose one and joined the growing orchestra of mostly show folk. There was a big alcove of gongs recessed in the walls - including the one used in Jesus Christ Superstar. It was the kind of big city party you saw in movies like Breakfast at Tiffanys and Midnight Cowboy. And the best part - we rang in the year oblivious as to when the ball dropped a couple of miles uptown at Times Square. We were too busy drinking and jointing and playing and kissing and reveling in our fab fortune. I was with my still alive pal, a new boyfriend and his friends of distinction. We took a cup of kindness yet and knew there was no better place to be.