Chronicles Continued

 

that if his grandmother had been looking over his shoulder, as pleased as she would be, she would suggest he not let the ball of yarn fall on the ground; especially the ground of a subway car.  He was knitting in the circular, a tube with a cuff.

Always name your bills.  Will never know if I was scammed tonight. Got in the cab with my mind elsewhere.  When I arrived at destination, tried to pay with credit card, but the machine did not react.   Said I would pay with cash.  So I thought I handed him 2 five dollar bills and a one. He said I handed him 1 five and 2 ones and that is what he held up.  I said no, it was a 10,  but I didn’t know for certain.  I took it from him and gave him 21 and he returned a 10.  It was a yellow cab and they for the most part don’t do that.  [Had this scam happen 25 years ago, with a ‘freelancer’]. Remember, always name your bills.  ‘Here — 2 fives and a one!’  Next time, I will say I don’t have cash and then maybe the machine will work.  That could have also been a scam!  Life in the City

First one sees the magnificent beauty of the interior.  The ceiling is so high you almost faint from tilting backwards to view it.  As you walk forward to the seating area, you look at the side columns….

and there they are… The same little figures that are to be found in bronze in the 14th Street subway station.  by Tom Otterness.  The theme is the iniquity of Food.  ‘It’s about running an inn and the wealthy have food and the poor don’t and that’s the essential concern.’  It is striking.

Is it purposely molded to look like a face? 

Columbia University a wonderful place to see and experience.

A play.  If it comes to a theatre near you, attend!

At the theatre tonight, a night I braved the daytime snows to attend, the person in the seat next to me chatted lightly about the weather, the script and all things ‘lite’.  At the end of the play, she asked, “Would you like to have a drink?” And i said yes to this person, whose name I did not yet know. but had a nice demeanor.  She knew a great location in the  neighborhood and we spent an enjoyable couple of hours chatting.  Will we see each other again?  Who knows.  But it was a non-political, non-demanding two people chatting about their lives and choices.  What a treat.

It’s funny about a ‘live-in’ City.  All hours of the night, depending on the night, the weather and the calendar there can be one or more noisy persons on the street early into the a.m. They apparently do not live in the neighborhood and have no idea of their noise level and the effect it has on anyone sleeping within earshot.  The other event is smokers.  Many a time I arrive back to my street door and a group is huddled there, smoking.  I ask them where they live.  Last time it was Pennsylvania, Brooklyn.  I told them – no simple suggestion – that they had to smoke elsewhere.  The smoke of their cigarettes is curling right up the wall and into my open bedroom window.  Most often they look contrite and move.  The occasional rebellious kid decides to fight “grandma” and throw down the gauntlet; In the end, he too moves.  So think about this next time you are tourist in a city were there are flats, apartments and living spaces, one floor up from the sidewalk.

Am part of a 90 day schedule to be a spokesperson for a type of tai chi program.  It is a good program,  as it really encourages me ‘to do it’.  When the 90 days are ‘up’ will share with you more info.  but not the before and after pics.