DOWNTOWN IS
By
Via the Eighth Avenue express from 125th Street to Lincoln Center, then by foot on past the 42nd St. movies ""for mature adults,"" through Herald Square with all the racks of clothes and the ""style"" in the windows, way down to a Village candle shop: Flip digs the sights and dodges ""suspicion men"" (police) until at nightfall, sick from snacking and longing for home, he heads for the A train uptown express. Flip's first trip downtown lacks the joshing, jostling neon vitality of Steptoe's Train Ride (1971) but slightly older children may recognize the caution and curiosity of this wary innocent, abroad in ""the most action place there is"" -- downtown.