Digging Deep
Read a Paul Theroux short story yesterday called 'Subterranean Gothic'. Reading the title I thought it sounded mighty occult-ish. As I read, however, I was surprised to find it spoke about the New York Metro System. Made sense.
I thought it was a particularly ironic piece to read at a time like this with Mumbai planning to hoist up its Monorail and Bangalore preparing (noisily) to furrow deep beneath its Silicon Valley.
Hearing a multitude of colourful tales about the horrors of the Metro, ranging from the fantastic to the heartwarming to the plain absurd, Theroux set out on a week long odessey to experience the dreaded Metro for himself, bless the man.
The product is Subterranean Gothic- at times investigative journalism, at times fable and sometimes just Tales from the Crypt. I thought it was a great read, recommended reading for sure. It give you a honest picture of the dilapidated, overburdened, over-vandalised, over-confusing and over-crazy Metro system as seen from the eyes of a New Yorker. I find this surprising in itself because I find New Yorkers are usually a passionate people when it comes to their city and quite rightly so.
Mr Theroux's unforgiving depiction of what has been a gradual lapse into dysfunction and ill-repute, however, is also not a stinging critique. And this is precisely why its such a good read. It treads a very fine line between critique and complaint. It never lapses into unnecessary emotion or annoyance as is so common when one talks about problems such as these- for a sample of the same just pick up your daily newspaper. It manages to be honest, truthful to the core which is essentially investigative and gives the reader a distinct feeling that Mr Theroux is trying to understand where the fear of the Metro in the minds of New Yorkers really comes from. It never bashes and never lampoons. Infact, if anything, one can easily sense his growing respect for the people who man the Metro day after monotonous day- especially the Transit Police.
If for no other reason, read it for Mr T's masterful command over the way his emotions translate into words. One begins the journey with him, mildly weary of the widely notorious transport system and we journey with him, miles underneath, slowly gaining a better understanding of why the Metro's problems exist and where they come from. There are no denials and no cheap suggestions. It is just an attempt to understand. And that's why it's fantastic.
Also, the story is full of those A-ha moments. You know, when you read something and you just know its right. You've felt it, you've been there and now someone's put it into words. I suppose certain things are just universal. Here's a small piece that gave me the goosebumps. I've been there, have you?:
"It was a salutory experience for me, riding through Brooklyn with Officers Minucci and Haag. Who, except a man flanked by two armed plain-clothes (police)men...would walk through housing projects and derelict areas and wait for hours at a subway station? ...For the first time in my life, I was travelling in the Hinterland of New York City with my head up, looking people in the eye with curiosity, lingering scrutiny and no fear. It was a shocking experience...I had never had the courage to gaze (at this alien land) so steadily. It was a land impossible to glamourize and hard to describe. ...(Because) As a New York City subway passenger you are J. Alfred Prufrock- you "prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet." "
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on 23.3.06 at 8:15 PM.
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arrey,,,,yaha to lotsa activity...itna postings and all.. real good man..and seriously some nice writings..loved it:) and i want to befriend Mr Neky also...
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