The thump of a bongo greets runners in Greenpoint
On a windy Sunday afternoon in Green Point, Brooklyn, NYC Marathon runners were welcomed at the 20-kilometer mark by neighborhood bongo player, Orlando Torres.
Torres, 51, has lived in the neighborhood for about 20 years. Before the bongo he used to enjoy going out with his best friends to get Bloody Mary’s and ringing a bell during the morning of the marathon. But after a few years his fascination with ringing a bell was not the sound he wanted the runners to hear.
“I’m taking bongo lessons n