Cherries in winter, contd.

This is the "Autumnalis" cherry in Columbus Park in Chinatown.Yesterday afternoon it had three others, also in bloom,  and about 400 Chinese men for company, crowded around tables playing cards and dominoes and a game I could not see, the crowd was that thick. Another small group sang Christmas carols in Chinese, wearing Santa hats. Fifty feet away two old men played sliding songs on erhus and a third, even older man, sang along in a cracked voice. The park was packed, as it always is, and every activity seemed communal. Two tourists were tsk'ing at the cherries, saying angrily, But they're going to die when it freezes! They left before I could explain.