Luftballoons
On the eve of my 100th entry, I spent the day remembering some very important lessons from my past.
Lesson One: A little bit of suburban paranoia goes a long way (and sometimes pays off). Every day that I left the house (from when I was 6 until I left for college), my parent's told me to be careful crossing the street. When I moved to NY, they changed their tune. It became: Don't stand too close to the edge of the subway platform - someone might push you onto the tracks ... or worse.
Well, to be honest, it was the 'or worse' that really scared me ... but I must have subconsciously absorbed at least a little of their warning because I developed a very wide 'subway stance' (patent pending). Although it wouldn't necessarily prevent me from being outright pushed onto the tracks ... it would prevent me from being lightly bumped over the edge. Today, I was able to test my stance when a grown man with an oversized backpack backed into my back and almost sent me flying in front of the 'R' train. Luckily, I was able to brace myself with my left leg ... this caused the large grown-up to spin quickly around to see what he hit with his oversized backpack ... which in turn swung around and knocked some poor child's head right into an iron column. Not saying a word, the man bolted away and up a staircase. The lesson I was reminded of today was not that I should adopt the subway stance but that some people are real assholes.
Lesson Two: Some things I did in college actually mattered. And in a good way.
Lesson Three:Sometimes that mysterious little key on my keychain comes in handy.
Lesson One: A little bit of suburban paranoia goes a long way (and sometimes pays off). Every day that I left the house (from when I was 6 until I left for college), my parent's told me to be careful crossing the street. When I moved to NY, they changed their tune. It became: Don't stand too close to the edge of the subway platform - someone might push you onto the tracks ... or worse.
Well, to be honest, it was the 'or worse' that really scared me ... but I must have subconsciously absorbed at least a little of their warning because I developed a very wide 'subway stance' (patent pending). Although it wouldn't necessarily prevent me from being outright pushed onto the tracks ... it would prevent me from being lightly bumped over the edge. Today, I was able to test my stance when a grown man with an oversized backpack backed into my back and almost sent me flying in front of the 'R' train. Luckily, I was able to brace myself with my left leg ... this caused the large grown-up to spin quickly around to see what he hit with his oversized backpack ... which in turn swung around and knocked some poor child's head right into an iron column. Not saying a word, the man bolted away and up a staircase. The lesson I was reminded of today was not that I should adopt the subway stance but that some people are real assholes.
Lesson Two: Some things I did in college actually mattered. And in a good way.
Lesson Three:Sometimes that mysterious little key on my keychain comes in handy.
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