I’d come to New York City for a party later that night. The plan was for a friend who lived in the city was to meet me at Union Square Park after work and we would head to the party from there. The bus, however, was going to get into the city at 2:30, so I wondered what I would do until 6.
On the Megabus, I met another Indian: K. for the purposes of this story. K. was visiting his cousin. We got to talking and hit it off (In a “I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours” exchange I revealed my Tolkien geek-ery and he told me about his political science thesis). As we approached NYC K. and I decided we should check out Zuccotti Park, the World Trade Memorial, and Wall St. together. K. called his cousin, who agreed it was a good idea.
The A train to Fulton Street spit us out just under the new World Trade Center and memorial. We then walked down Church St. till we found Zuccotti, although since there was more concrete (with some nice picnic tables, to be fair) than green none of us recognized it. Thus began a wild goose chase. After walking a while longer down Church, even I recognized Battery Park coming up. K., his cousin, and I stopped at the nearest street map to consult.
“I guess that was Zuccotti, we passed by up there,” K.’s cousin said.
“That was disappointing…,” I added, “and now we’re a few blocks south of where Broadway would intersect with Wall St.”
What ensued was a poorly executed attempt to orient ourselves in the 2-d reality of the map, so as to go the right way. Instead of taking Morris St. to Broadway, we took the bridge to West St. (which we did because we thought it was the bridge to Broadway) and walked up West until we found ourselves on the backside of the World Trade Center again, confused. After asking a kind parking garage attendant, we took a right Albany, a right on Greenwich, a left on Rector, and a left on Broadway, at which point we saw the Holy Grail, er, I mean Wall St.
We turned onto it and as we came up on the New York Stock Exchange, K.’s cousin said “It smells like money, huh?”. And so I took this picture. And thus ended our travails.
Other moments in New York
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Espressoing
in New York, United States -
A few more days
in New York, United States -
Goodbye
A final Hi meeting
in New York, United States -
meditation, Creativity
The local neighborhood bar has a quiet time between six and nine. It is a place that specializes in coffee, beer and seasonal menus. There is just enough of each for a satisfying snack and effective buzz. After the time when the laptop lids close and before the social gatherings start -- there is a sort of twilight*. Often this time is a fugitive ground rife with creative inspiration and meditative work -- of the kind that results in personal reward.*twilight may refer to civil, nautical or astronomical variety depending on your social or terrestrial condition
in New York, United States -
Web, development
A man positions his mouse on the edge of his browser window. He clicks, holds and drags the viewport first left then right. The content of a video game promo micro site responds and adapts to the available space. To the man, this is more delightful than the game itself.
in New York, United States -
subway, music
A man laboriously moves his piano down three levels onto the subway platform. Classic vocals and strided chords -- he played so well I swore he was blind. Oblivious to the heat on that August stage, he was most in touch with his audience -- whom he elevated with his music.
in New York, United States -
Feminism
A woman should do exactly as she pleases no matter what a man may think.
in New York, United States -
Travel
As the Dalai Lama once said, "It is a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room."
in New York, United States -
stars, Grandma, Love
"No one understands me," she said. Her grandmother was silent for a minute. It seemed she was searching for an answer in the star speckled sky. "But no one understands anyone in this world, darling. We are all unique. It is what gives us a sense of wonder."
in New York, United States