When a major power outage left even Times Square eerily dark, New York City's faithful headed out of their hot apartments and stuffy office cubicles and did what came naturally. They headed to their local bars and grabbed a few cold ones -- while they were still cold. 'People were stuck and couldn't get home so they thought, 'why not gather at the local watering hole? TM said Joey Murphy, bartender at Ned Kelly's, on Manhattan's West Side. 'It's the best place to go when there's no transportation.' Like hundreds of New York bars, Kelly's was packed, hot, sticky, and lighted by candlelight. The crowd spilled onto the sidewalk, resigned to make the best of an otherwise miserable situation. At the Village Ma Bar and Grill in the West Village, customers packed side by side sat in dim candlelight, trying to stay cool by rolling up their sleeves and unbuttoning their shirts. 'Most people are very happy and not too worried about anything,' said Ryan Good, a bartender at the Village Ma. 'Of course, we'll see how it is in a few hours,' he said. 'The ice is melting, and the refrigerator is getting warmer, so I hope the power comes back soon.' Still, despite the laid-back atmosphere in most bars, a haunting undertone remained in most people's minds about the last time New Yorkers were forced out onto the streets. 'We've had a tough time here,' said Sean Connolly, owner of the Eatery Restaurant and Bar. 'It was reminiscent of 9?11 with everyone pouring out in the streets.' Patrons at a bar downtown had similar thoughts. Mimi Banks said she decided to leave work after building management first told employees to evacuate and then told them to stay, bringing back nervous memories of the World Trade Centre attacks nearly two years ago. 'We went home first, but then we just started walking, looking for a bar because there is nothing else to do,' Banks said。 'This is the best thing to do right now,' she said, presenting a cold beer still dripping with perspiration. With people unsure when the lights would come back on, many seemed resigned to participating in the impromptu Manhattan block party as long as possible. Why does the author refer to New Yorkers as 'faithful'?