Rats of Manhatan, Lech Majewski

„Nothing is constant” according to Socrates, who realized this fact a long time ago, so everything is in motion, if we believe in logic. Most probably he meant that everything is changing all the time, so it is the familiar that usually eludes us in life. What is before our nose is what we see last. But not least?

“For he led us, he said, to a joyous land…” promises Robert Browning in old story “The Pied Piper of Hamelin”. Young hero Chaim flees he’s town when a plague of rats attacked suddenly and unexpectedly. Seems like he’s exertion and strength is needed once again.

As long as you appear in the doorway of Waldorf Astoria hotel, you find out, that Neil Stainton, one of night doormen, has been fired. Customers were complaining about him: he dropped precious vase, came to work drunk… He will be gone while you are busy sorting things out while checking in, won’t even notice a man in expensive suit standing behind your front desk and holding a rat.

“Do you like pets”? he’ll ask you. Pretending you’re busy you will ignore him. “Have you been to Venice?.. You must see this place. Especially with somebody you love. What a wonderful city!” Being about to leave, the man will lean back and mystically grin: “I see you’re suffering. Why won’t you get a rat? You’ll learn how to take care of it, love it. Nothing will bother you anymore. Rats are very intelligent.”

You fell like you’re dreaming one of your the worst nightmares – here, in the middle of Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the center of Manhattan in the heart of universe – in this state of mind there is only one step from going to Staten Island, to try to get closer to her. Desperately closer to Gaia…

Rats of Manhattan by Lech Majewski has remains, in a mysterious, surreal aura, the history of doorman’s loneliness, where states of emotions are getting materialized as animal anger: ache after braking up with beloved causes rat’s plague in Manhattan.

It looks like the only hope lays in Chaim. Like in old story from Hamelin… And standing on the top of the sky-scraper on New Year’s Eve you can feel that with tears, the sweat of fear and the dirt of gone days are falling down.

You will notice a love much stronger that the one which destroyed you. And you know, it won’t be a dream anymore…