From Manhattan, a friend writes in response to today's column:

Somber, indeed. Good piece. Get ready, though, because this may make you vomit: NYC had a citywide singalong at 2:00 pm at which appointed hour you were supposed to go outside and sing “Let It Be” on the sidewalk (no, I’m not kidding) with people from your building so that the entire city would be unified in song.

Let it be???