He Had New York At His Feet

摘要

The view was magnificent. to the south, the Verrazano Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. To the east, the approaching sunrise, the sky turning from deep to pale blue at the horizon. At a quarter mile up, perched on a precipice, he was high enough to see the curvature of the Earth, but he could still hear the distant murmur of the city below. He knew the police were on their way-after all, what he was doing was illegal-but he couldn't help taking a few precious seconds to look around. Then he stepped off the ledge, and started to walk. For 45 minutes, Philippe Petit traversed a steel wire strung over the canyon between the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center. The year was 1974, and the towers were still months from being finished. In all, he made eight passes through the air, before stepping back on the roof. Because he had toyed with the police-several times he ventured close enough for them to almost grab his shirt, then backed away-they were rough when they arrested him, he says, pushing him down a flight of stairs with his hands cuffed behind his back. This, he claims, was the most dangerous part of his stunt.