The Landmark

The story I am about to narrate is very close to my heart. One of the reasons to write this blog is directly or indirectly related to this fateful and eventful tale. I mentioned this story as eventful as dates are important in this narration and we’ll come to know as the blog unfolds.

Some people believe that things that goes up fast comes down fast, especially those things that are big & heavy. The protagonist of this story is a person of the scientific background and does not believe in this statement. According to him, things without proper explanation and relevant proof are not worthy to turn your attention to. We live in this world full of uncertainties, where anything could happen with a blink of an eye and most of those things happen without any proof or explanation. At that point science & mathematical proofs sounds meaningless, all the books & articles that you’ve read and all the knowledge that you’ve acquired over a period of time does not make any sense. Is that possible ever, when nothing matters and reality sucks?

In the spring of 2007 (March to be precise) after a long day of work the man drove back to his house. While he was driving many thoughts cross his mind. I definitely need a break and it’s been a while when I took one. How about a visit to Florida or shall I go for Las Vegas or someplace else in the west coast? Hard to decide the location where he would like to spend the quality time with his wife and son he reaches his home. He discussed the plan for his well deserved vacation with his wife and told himself he will make a small travel project and plan everything well in advance. The man told his wife that the weekend of Memorial Day will be perfect for this. The wife agreed. After much discussion both of them decided a common destination - BIG APPLE. Let’s do it, NYC is the most happening city in the world the man exclaimed with a sparkle of joy in his eyes. With a destination in place we now need to find a good hotel and the plan for the sightseeing the man told his wife and she nodded. How about a vacation package from Expedia, Travelocity or Hotwire the man asked his wife? The wife said whatever we have to do we have to do fast as that being a long weekend all the good hotels will be booked well in advanced. You are right, the man responded and without wasting any minute he was wandering the web with all the good deals for this trip. The results from those travel sites started to pop up - hotel for 2 adults & 1 child in downtown Manhattan for 3 nights and the return flight tickets, all for this amazing price, we’ll take it. This is an excellent deal, the hotel is awesome, right in the heart of Manhattan, the man told himself.

The flight was on time and the weather in the NYC looks good. They checked into this massive & classic hotel which stood on the Madison Avenue & 45th street in the heart of midtown Manhattan. After taking the tour of the Empire State Building they took the cab for Times Square. This was too much fun they told each other. How about a walk from Times Square back to our hotel, the man asked his wife? Sure, but are you completely aware of the route back to the hotel, the wife asked? That’s not a problem the man replied we can ask someone. One of the NYC street vendor were kind enough to show them the way back to their hotel and the vendor told them that if they ever wanted to walk from the Times Square to their hotel they just need to keep this landmark in mind. The landmark, the man questioned. Yes, the landmark, the vendor replied. You see that big building, the one which stands in the dark night with the white crown, this is your landmark. Just follow this building and this will take you to your destination. This building is indeed our landmark, the man said. What a grandiose structure and conspicuous architecture, he thought. The walk that night was fun. For the next two nights they followed the building as their landmark, and every time they take the stroll they always discussed about that building. There are lots of amazing buildings in NYC but this one in particular building caught their attention. This landmark, this building watched them every night as they walked towards it. With lots of good memories the trip was over. I am all charged up after this vacation and ready to go back to work, the man told his wife on the way back home.

Life was going fine and fast and before they knew it the summer was gone. Winter started followed by spring that welcomes the month of March 2008. On March 17th 2008, the man reached the work place and started to check his emails and opened a separate window for checking the business news on CNN. The economy is not in good shape he talked to himself. News after news keeps coming and all indicate the economy is in shambles. While browsing one of the web pages he came across this article which he could not believe. It felt like the sky above his head gone missing. To most of his shock & bewilderment the landmark is gone. That building that used to guide him back to the hotel in NYC, that building does not exists, the name associated with it was just history. This is a predicament situation and we all are neck deep into this. While driving back home from work he could not stop thinking about the landmark. Whatever goes up fast comes down fast, this is just another quote, another way to express the views, everything is just fine and everything will be fine, he keeps talking to himself as moves towards his home.

For most of us, the story explained above was the official introduction to the Economic, Financial & Housing conundrum. Trillions of dollars vanished, Millions of jobs were gone, hundreds & thousands become homeless, may be more. The effect of this economic quake was so drastic that till date we are getting the shocks and jitters. The aftermath of this meltdown was just alarming. To the shock of most of us, that epicenter which triggered this economic tsunami was none other than but the landmark. The landmark that mentioned in the story helped the man reach his destination, but today this landmark is nothing but a big concrete boulder, an unavoidable hindrance in the path of millions.

The landmark (the building with the white crown) was none other than the building of Bear Stearns (one of the very first primary financial institutions to fall). The classic hotel mentioned in the story is, Hotel Roosevelt (which is right next to Bear Stearns) and the man (as mentioned in the story) who is still trying to find out what happened to his landmark and why all this is happening, why no one took responsibility for such a disaster, is the none other than but the writer of this blog – me.

I dedicate this post to all the people who lost everything to this financial meltdown, who lost their jobs, their homes, there happiness, their dreams and their hopes. My heart, my mind and my blog all goes out to them. Everybody keep on telling the same thing, one landmark is gone and the other we will be resurrected. When & how, nobody knows. Till then follow your heart as it will be your best GPS. You don't need any landmark if you follow your heart. Your heart will be your best guide and you won’t miss your destination, rest assured.