Cosette and I

Went exploring our hood today after work in search of the dog parks in my neighborhood. A neighbor with his own dog directed us down the hill, so we walked past the busy intersection and storefronts of our street, following the quiet tree-lined sidewalk just beyond the hustle and bustle of St Nicholas and 191st.

On our way we passed a group of old men sitting along a cyclone fence, playing dominoes on makeshift chairs. We spotted the jumps that my neighbor described where young boys raced up soft mounds of dirt, trying to get some air on their little bmx's. A minute later we passed the basketball courts and the carefully manicured baseball diamond, both filled with kids. Guys about my age jogged leisurely up and down the court playing a game of pick up, while kids in neon green t-shirts manned the baseball field, taking cues from an umpire posted at home and a coach at the first base line.

We reached the little dog run where we met George Cruz, the co owner of the dog park and chief executive of the Highbridge Canine Club, who went on for some minutes enthusiastically describing events that are held at the dog park. Dog adoption, a Halloween costume contest (first place winner gets dog food free for a year). He's expanding the dog park so that by the third week of August it will be much larger, and it was voted one of the cleanest dog parks in Manhattan. He was so proud of how he maintains it and his general involvement in the Washington Heights community. He told me where meetings are held for residents of the Heights where denizens can voice concerns and stay informed of the goings on of the community. George was very friendly and welcoming, recognizing that I was new to the neighborhood.

Cosette and I decided to walk further along and eventually happened upon more basketball courts and a large playground filled with children. Many were dangling and jumping from monkey bars, enjoying the swings, and playing catch on the clay turf. In the playground next to the water fountains we found more older men playing dominoes and quick, serious games of checkers. We noticed a couple of guys playing a heated game, balancing a large board on their knees. Some of the kids said hi to Cosette and then we headed home, stopping to say hello to people who greeted us on the street.

What I like about Washington Heights is that it is a community in the truest sense: everyone knows each other and spends time in the evening out in the streets, sitting in lawn chairs, sitting on cars, listening to music, grilling chicken on little BBQs, walking their dogs, hanging out on apartment steps, getting icy treats from the vendor sitting outside the subways stop. My neighbors say goodnight on the elevator and hold the door for you when your arms are loaded with groceries.  And they don't care that you don't speak the language, that you don't come from where they're from. Honestly, I don't think they notice. They simply accept that you're part of the neighborhood, like you've been there all along.