The ticket price was $250. To a New Yorker, this can be interpreted as dinner for two at Bagatelle next door; to Dr. Luu, it is the cost of one, life-saving surgery. “I am here to save the world and spread the word,” he explained. Dr. Luu’s proceeds for the evening will go towards the construction of two surgical rooms, where the lives of 1,000 children will be saved. If there is one thing about New York that never ceases to amaze, it is the uninhibited confidence of its inhabitants. Of course, the fine line between endearing confidence and unabashed ego is consistently and flagrantly violated in this city of ours. I am no longer surprised at the base actions of the baser celebrity. I am often left to lament the untapped potential of social power lying latent in hearts that bleed for no cause beyond the velvet rope.
Dr. Luu is of a different sort—dare I invoke the title Renaissance man? With equal parts style and substance, Dr. Luu certainly has the panache to change the world, and he’s putting his money where his mouth is. Never one for math, I will attempt to verbally sketch a portrait of the fundraiser’s success—one hundred percent of proceeds given to charity, 50 people waiting in line outside, the downstairs lounge is at capacity, and the items for auction are expected to generate tens of thousands of needed dollars. Grand total? Success. Dr Luu’s work in developing countries is fascinating, and I will not patronize his accomplishments by calling them “laudable,” “noteworthy,” or any other form of inane recommendation. I do not think that I was the only one who left wanting to know more about the issues at hand. In the end, Dr. Luu left us all with a sense of empowerment, a desire for knowledge. The pursuit of knowledge is ultimately the pursuit of power, and a true New Yorker should embody both, Emilie Humanitary-style.
