Wow! Nicely done Bob and Barbara...talk about making a difficult topic work, and work well! I could almost see my breath with the depth of detail you both provided.
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New Yorkers have a reputation of displaying rudeness to anyone that gets in their way. This character flaw is portrayed almost daily in books and magazines, television and movies. Some New Yorkers go out of their way wearing this stereotype like a badge of honor.
Earlier this year I took a trip to New York which gave me my first opportunity to navigate the subway system ALONE. I have taken several trips through this fascinating system but always with family or friends. This time it would be an adventure and would also include several transfers from both New Jersey's PATH system as well as New York's subway system.
Falling back on my Girl Scout skills from years gone by, I planned my trip with train schedule in hand. I climbed aboard the commuter train in Newark and sat back as the scenery of the Garden State passed before my eyes. Before I knew it I was in Hoboken about to transfer from the commuter train system to the PATH train that would take me into Manhatten.
Getting into Manhatten was easy and within minutes I was leaving the underground subway platform to emerge onto the crowded, noisy and energy filled streets of my favorite city in the world. This is a piece of cake I told myself, my confidence building to the point where I felt I could take on the world. This was a feeling I would savor ....until it was time to head back to New Jersey.
The subway ride back seemed more confusing than it did on my way into the city. I missed a stop which brought me away from the connection from the PATH system. A sense of panic was beginning to overcome me, but I kept my cool and tried very hard not to look like a tourist.
As the subway car continued to move farther and farther away from my intended stop, I casually asked a man standing next to me what stop I should take to get myself back in position for the PATH platform. He looked up from his newspaper with no expression on his face. Dressed in blue jeans, an open flannel shirt over a dirty t-shirt with stained construction boots, it was apparent this was one of New York's working class. In a thick New York accent, he told me to take the next stop, go to the upper platform and cross over to the next lower level platform. I thanked him for his help as he returned to reading his newspaper not giving me a second thought. Mentally reciting the directions he gave me, I exited from the car at the next stop.
Above the noise from passengers, P.A. systems, and alarms, I heard a loud voice yell, "Miss, you are going the wrong way!". I turned to look and my Good Samaritan was gesturing to me to go in the opposite direction. I quickly righted myself and quickly found my way to the PATH platform.
As I found an open seat on the train that would take me back to Hoboken, I smiled to myself as I thought about this man who could easily fit the description of a typical blue collared New Yorker and how he broke the stereotype known around the world. He could have continued reading his newspaper, but instead he looked up to make sure that this non-New Yorker was no longer lost.
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