First of all, the New York Water Taxi is amazing. Motoring up from the Fulton Landing to Long Island City on surprisingly clear water was the best possible way to start an after-work party that I can think of. If you’ve never taken one of these, do it the next time you get out of work twenty minutes early. You won’t regret it.
Lauren and I landed at the sands of Water Taxi Beach a little before 6 p.m. Siobhan Foley, who was so kind as to organize the event, and Hamilton Boardman, the man who built this site, were holding down a few tables and sorting the free drink tickets into envelopes.
Ham remarked on the helicopter rotors beating loud as they ferried passengers in an overhead rush hour. That sound always takes me back to the air strips at Ali al Salem with the Stingers (HMLA-267). In the heat, under the bright sun, with the sand underfoot, it was almost overpowering.
The afternoon was cloudless despite the weather reports. On Weather.com the radar images were streaked with ominous red, green and yellow pixels. A lot of people had called to see if we were moving to a bar in Manhattan. We decided to take our chances with the beach.
Part of the idea was to evoke a setting like the Kuwait Hilton, where the desert meets the Persian Gulf. It did, but the stark views of the Empire State Building, the United Nations and the Chrysler Building made it inescapably New York. The spot is unbeatable. There was a group next to us playing beach volleyball and — under the big tent — a New York Vietnam Veteran organization.
The guests came in waves each time another boat landed, looking fresher than those who had wandered over from the subway. As they arrived, however, so did the clouds. Eventually there was an ominous black wall over Manhattan that seemed determined to crash down on us.
Somehow it passed with only a few scattered drops, but some clouds remained and the little drops kept coming. It was unfortunate because people seemed, rather than just having fun, to be staring up at the sky fearfully the whole time. Then the best thing possible happened. It just plain started to rain.
Once everyone was crammed under the tent — friends, strangers and the Vietnam vets — it felt more like a party and less like a picnic. The noise level rose and maybe the free drinks were finally taking effect.
One of the veterans made a speech about remembering their fallen comrades and the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, including us in his remarks by talking about how our fathers or even grandfathers might have served in Vietnam. They were right for me. My Dad served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. I thought it was great to be there with them because it brought home the humanity and sacrifice of the men who fight — to a party for a book about the human side of war.
Pretty soon guys were coming over, asking if they could have books. The next thing I knew I was talking to a helicopter pilot about Hueys and an infantry guy about jumping two stories out of them into the jungles of Southeast Asia. I was talking to the head of a New York Marine veterans association (if you’re reading this I’m sorry to say I can’t find your card this morning). They were a great group of gentlemen and I’m glad we had the privilege of sharing a tent with them.
The real winner was probably their DJ, who had a hat passed to 100 people instead of 20 and probably made five times his usual tips for that event.
Some time after that the rain broke completely and it was cool and clear. The perfect views of the lighted Manhattan skyscrapers were there and we took pictures under the neon palm tree (which, as I wrote to Jo Piazza this morning, is so obviously a Prince song with caps: Under the Neon Palm Tree).
The night could have gone a lot better logistically, but it couldn’t have been more fitting and I was happy to see so many of my friends in one place again. Having a book published is a great way to see everyone you know, even folks you haven’t seen in years. For someone leaving the country indefinitely as I am in a month, that’s a gift. Thanks to everyone who made it out.

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