From the top

Far far above the streets of New York City there is another city, one that most people never see.

This evening I was invited to a rooftop party. To put this invitation in proper context, the people who have such parties generally have an insane amount of money. That’s really the only way you can afford one of those multifloor penthouse apartments.

When you look out from such an apartment, your eyes skim the tops of the Manhattan buildings, and you can see the other islands of fabulous wealth. The other members of your rarified tribe.

It’s all very lovely, but those of us who are merely guests can only gawk in wonder. On the other hand, it is only because such experiences are so rare for us that we are able to experience that sense of wonder.

For somebody who sees this every day, it might not seem so special. And there’s the irony: To truly appreciate the fruits of great wealth, you need to be a person who doesn’t have it.