Monday Evening in Union Square: Fake National Emergency Protest in Union Square Park

(Video courtesy A Random Minute)

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Late Thursday Afternoon in Greenwich Village and Union Square: The Act Up 30th Anniversary March and Rally from the AIDS Memorial to Union Square Park

(Video courtesy Brooke Cerda)

Friday Evening at Union Square: Bowie Sing-Along Tribute in Union Square Park

(Video courtesy Elizabeth Choi)

(Video courtesy Otom Izot)

Sunday Afternoon in Union Square: Rally on First Anniversary of the Killing of Michael Brown at Union Square Park

(Video courtesy Peter Eliscu)

Sunday Afternoon in Union Square: Improv Everywhere No Pants Subway Riders at Union Square Park

(Videos courtesy Scott Lynch)

Tuesday Morning in Union Square: Earth Day 2014 at Union Square Park

(Video courtesy Joe Depace)

Late Wednesday Afternoon in Union Square: A Day of Outrage and Remembrance for Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis at Union Square Park

(Video courtesy April Watters)

Thursday Evening in Union Square: Willem Engel and Kim Rottier at Union Square Park

(Video courtesy Stephanie Santana)

Thursday Afternoon in Union Square: Rally for Fast Food Workers at Union Square Park

(Videos courtesy Adam F. Hutton)

Monday Evening in Union Square: Brazil Solidarity Rally at Union Square Park

(Video courtesy StopMotionsolo [Matt H])

(Video courtesy Mark Adams)

(Video courtesy ccassel82) (Photos courtesy Made in Brazil Blog)

Thursday Afternoon in Union Square: Occupy Wall Street November 17th Day of Action Student Rally

At 3 p.m. today we were out in the cold at Union Square, at the Occupy Wall Street's Day of Action student protest rally, which included many non-student supporters as well. (Above is a view we took from the Barnes & Noble fourth floor window when we went into the store to use the restroom.)

Saturday Afternoon in Union Square: The Sixth Annual World's Most Exciting Pillow Fight at Union Square Park

We stayed a lot longer at this year's Pillow Fight Day at Union Square than we did last year. The event was breathtaking -- mostly because a few people brought pillows with the verboten feathers, and our allergy to them made us reach for our inhaler to ward off an asthma attack. As Charlotte Bronte wrote, "A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow."

This couple across from us on the L train -- their friends were beside us, and beside themselves with anticipation -- wondered if they'd make the 3 p.m. pillow fight on time. We assured them they would.

They asked us where our pillow was, and we told them this was an event for young participants, that sexagenarians like us find it exciting just to be spectators.

That is, when we were able to spectate. This was the view from Whole Foods on the south side of Fourteenth Street.

The crowds are so thick with pillows -- it is remarkable how many people appear not to have pillows at home and so bought what were presumably their first pillows for the occasion -- it was hard to see too much without getting close enough so that we'd be injured. So we stuck to the periphery where people were phoning in their pillow-fighting.


But it's good clean fun and a new sure sign of spring in New York. Luckily it was a beautiful afternoon for freestyle ultimate no-holds-barred pillow fighting. Hordes of pillow fighters emerged from the subway ready to rumble.

These costumed pillow fighters were sponsored by Nestle's Crunch, whose logo adorned their weapons.

Afterwards, one of them confessed that he accidentally knocked a three-year-old boy to the ground during the melee. Luckily, the kid was okay and any litigation prevented by quick application of a candy bar to his mouth.

Sadly, there were episodes of people becoming crazed by the intense pillow fighting.

This young woman went completely berserk and began attacking random pedestrians outside Staples on Union Square West.

Disgusted by the violence and trying to avoid her blows, we ran across the street to commune with the nonviolent spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, who was blissfully unaware that pillow-fighting mayhem was ensuing in the background.

We were worn out but grateful for this event as a sign of spring as sure as these budding flowers. On the L train coming back home to Williamsburg, we were reminded of what Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard's Almanac: "Fatigue is the best pillow."

If not the best pillow fight.