Five years ago today Mus, the Algerian owner of what was then Denizen, a restaurant in lower Manhattan’s Soho on Thompson St. was furiously cooking food in the locale’s tiny kitchen to bring down to the site of the by then destroyed World Trade Center. Earlier that day watching the destruction above the Arch of Washington Square from Fifth Avenue one could only imagine what was happening further south closer to the tragedy. Those who knew Mus and others in the area tried to get across Houston St. but the authorities would not permit passage to those who didn’t live there. What was happening was that a Muslim businessman threw caution to the wind and wanted to take care of those who needed it. The air south of Houston was difficult to see through with white particles filling it. For days thereafter a strange smell permeated much of downtown.The one zone that seemed to provide a haven was the West Village. The Monster, The Duplex and even The Cowgirl Hall of Fame were all operating at full service. There was no traffic and the huge lamps lighting the path to Saint Vincent’s Hospital made Seventh Avenue South seem like a movie set. Many wandered around aimlessly but there was a notable absence of hysteria and rancor away from the site and in downtown neighbourhoods.
One crazy bus driver on the way to Manhattan from New Jersey that morning refused to turn back at the police barrier and drove through stranding a young woman named Patty who felt lost and frightened. She found that safe haven with the gay denizens of the West Village. It kept her sane. She had to sleep in her office at work.One of the eventually moving sights was the home of Engine 18 on W. 10th where one could see the men on a daily basis at work and experience a sense of safety. Engine 18 lost seven of its members. There was no escaping the sadness for months following their loss as one continued to pass it. A shrine grew there with flowers photos and remembrances.
Those days following the attack saw the spontaneous erection of shrines that also served as a way to acknowledge and help look for the missing. Denizen would soon be the venue for a firefighters’ benefit as would another restaurant further up in Greenwich Village on W. 13th La Nonna. Many people, the famous, the nearly famous and the not so famous banded together in order to have the sense of doing something in response to what was the greatest tragedy witnessed in their lifetimes. New York would never be the same, still it has gone on. It was one of those unique moments when one could see what others were made of. Besides, Mus, Tom Fontana, Chris Meloni, Kirk Acevedo, Lee Tergesen, Christina Barbieri, Brian Rodgers, Davide Novelli, Maria Teresa Ienni, George Aguilar, among many others rose to the occasion.
New York lives and thrives as do those individuals. Denizen and La Nonna did not survive as businesses in post-September 11th downtown Manhattan but most everyone involved with those locales have moved forward. The Monster and The Duplex are still the beacons of Sheridan Square. New York City is still the Capitol of diversity -- something that religious fanaticism will never be able to destroy.
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