2nd Day of the Transit Strike.
Yesterday and today I got to witness the true Spirit of New York. I wasn’t here for 9-11 or the massive black out last year. But with the Strike throwing everyone into confusion, New Yorker everywhere – me included – are making the best of a bad situation.
As I was looking for a cab or at least a small group of people waiting to ride together in a cab on 116 this morning, a guy in a small Toyota waved to get my attention. He motioned to the backseat of his car and mouthed the words, “Do you need a ride?”
I got in the back. He’d just picked up someone else who was riding shotgun. We just needed one more person to get through the police barricade at 96th Street. With the strike in full swing only cars with 4 or more people were allowed into the city. I needed a ride and he needed another body in the car to get him through.
The driver let me off at 80th and Lexington Avenue. I then walked across the island of Manhattan. I went through Park Avenue…Madison Avenue…Fifth Avenue…then through Central Park…across Central Park West…Columbus Circle…Amsterdam…then finally to Broadway. The walk wouldn’t have been that bad – it was the fact that it was 22 degrees. Even with gloves it was hard to feel my hands when I got to work.
When I got to work and settled in, I thought about the Spirit of New York. Everywhere people were carpooling with strangers – making do in whatever situation arises. Riding home tonight I was in a cab with 3 other people, all strangers - to me and to each other.
But we made it. You do what you have to do.
It’s only life.
