Why I <3 NY

At 12 p.m. I'm packed and ready to go. I begin to walk a few miles to the station. Worried I didn't give myself enough time, I walk fast. With my backpack and shoulder bag. I make it 20 minutes early. My back kind of hurts. I should have worn sneakers instead of non-supportive sandals. I was ready to stick my thumb out and hitch there. It's amazing what you can do when you have no choice.

From Manchester to Boston, I listen to a wealthy "important man" talk about the politics and logistics that have created the Londonderry/Manchester bus stop crisis. (Yes, I have become a compulsive eavesdropper). I won't be hearing this kind of obnoxious banter during my entire NY trip, but I soak it in now.

"It's a political thing" pretentious suit man explains, "It's all about money."

"I know why it's happening, but it's just a shame. I know a lot of people who need the bus."

"Well what exactly is the problem?" an unmemorable passenger asks. (I love the quickness strangers come together on buses).

"First off, the Manchester station is a horrible location. There is no parking on the street and the lot costs a fortune. So people are driving to Londonderry, because it's cheaper than parking in Manchester."

"But so many people walk to the station. It's just a shame. Lots of people use it."

"Well, because there's parking in Londonderry, people are willing to drive from all over to go there, so there's actually more traffic there. The real problem though, it that Concord Coach pays rent on their stations, and with less passengers, they are actually losing money to stop in Manchester. And if Manchester station doesn't have Concord Coach as a customer, it's not gonna make it" They guy leans back and crosses his arm. He likes to feel important.

"It's just a shame. I use the bus to see my family. You know, that's important to me." The woman continues to express her worry about her self.

"The Union Leader just reported that the Mayor's saying he knows nothing about it. That's a load of crap if I ever heard one. They should have been working on solutions to this problem years ago."

I'm thinking to myself, "Why don't you do something about it instead of complaining and calling it a shame. Write to the paper. Protest. Anything. Don't be so complacent."I spend this part of my trip reading, and eavesdropping on the self-absorbed woman and the cocky man.


I took the chi-town bus into Manhattan. It wasn't full or uncomfortable. I had a pair of seats to myself and spent the ride reading Salinger, writing notes for my next story (a veteran from the Iraqi war is unable to connect to the world around him, suppressed by his homosexuality, finds something important when he witnesses joy and realizes he has the option to be happy) thinking about Dan and all the fun I'll be having. From what I could tell, the bus was full of first-time visitors - young couples with backpacking bags slung over their shoulders, smiling, asking me in some thick European accent "does this bus go to Manhattan?" "Yes," I say. "Chinatown." I can tell he wants to talk with me more. He loves meeting people all over the world. But he doesn't make the move. Six hours of bus and foot transit later, I see the New York City Skyline. Over the Brooklyn Bridge. At Sunset. The tourists and I cannot resist the photo op. The site and the closeness to my destination fills me with excitement. I know I am in for a fun adventure with great company.
In Chinatown, I call up Holden . I wait for him at a park, drawing and listening and watching the people around me. They are full of anything goes fashion. I walk around the neighborhood. A man passing in a wheel chair says, "red headed woman, you've got that power. You've got that red hair." I smile and continue walking, smiling. He understands. I watch Holden ascend the subway stairs. So happy to see him. We find a nice outdoor restaurant and talk over wine and a great meal. He tells me about his new job at the New York Times, the trials and excitement of adjusting to post-collegiate Queens living, an unfortunate situation with his London friend, who he was somewhere between good friends and dating, that hasn't returned his calls in weeks. A curious case.

After, we find a hookah bar and I call up Daniel, because it feels so wrong being in the city and not seeing him right off the bat. Dan and Holden hit it off (I love it when good people meet good people. It makes me happy). Shortly after Holden has to make the trek back to Queens to sleep, Dan and I head back to Brooklyn.

Waking up slightly later than expected (but oh-so-worth it). Dan heads to work at College Humor and I go to meet Linz in Manhattan for a day of walking (lots of walking), talking, visiting sex shops, Pinkberry (better than you've ever had), the New Museum...
where we saw some contemporary art...

I drew in Union Square ...we met up with Dan for an Italian dinner where a fruit fly drowned in my red wine, followed by the Three of Cups Bar, where we met with Dan's roommate Josh and his buddy from the Ad agency where they work. Then back to Brooklyn for Mario Kart Wii (epileptics be warned, this game is flashy).

This was followed by a bar in Manhattan and meeting Jordan, Steve, Ryan, Jose and a few others Barcade. There was lots of fun, drinking, and the inevitable room-spin at 2 a.m.

Friday, Dan, Josh and I head to one of the many yuppie natural food store heavens in NYC and cook up the most delicious omelet breakfast.

Dan and I spend the day in Williamsburg, book shopping and generally exploring a part of the city I regrettably haven't spent much time at. During our exploration we find a literally never-ending parade of skateboarders. I really think there must have been thousands. This clip doesn't even do the magnitude of skaters justice:

Do my pleasant surprise, it's also Make Music New York. This explains why on literally every corner has a different band playing. After Frisbee, and back walkovers in the park, we run into these guys (I am sincerely sorry I forget their name, they are amazing):
Half the audience sings along to every song. Everyone seems so happy. I smile. I notice a boy on the outskirts of the crowd with long dreadlocks and the most genuine, happy. I wrote:Later, Dan becomes a sushi fan and we sneak down to the water before the park closed.

That night Linz, Dan and I, after a minorly-unsuccessful experience at a bar with a ping pong table (thanks asshole expert player who wouldn't leave the table, at a bar!!!), we car serviced it off to park slope to sit on Steve and Jordan's roof for conversation and what Jordan referred to as "staring at other people's money (a.k.a Manhattan).

We played "would you rather" and "questions," which included:

-Would you rather have sex with your mom or your dad?

- If you could know the exact date and time of your death, would you want to know?

- If you knew your child would be born seriously retarded and die in five years, would you have an abortion?

- Would you rather have no penis, or a penis on your forehead?

- would you rather have a penis on your forehead of a pianist on your forehead?

- Would you kill your perfectly healthy house pet for $50,000?

- If it would end world hunger, would you kill an innocent person?

- Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese?

We left after 2 a.m. The next morning was more Dan/Becca time. I can't really get enough of it. We saw the most adorable smiling baby at a little breakfast place.

Then I found my way to the Chi-town bus from the subway and bussed my ass home.

Over all, a perfect NYC trip. I may see Luxembourg City, Prague, Paris, London, Brussels, etc. etc. during the next year, but I'll really miss the NYC.