The country mouse
I just finished spending a week in New York City – – actually on Manhattan Island. It was my first time.
I felt like the country mouse which come to visit his city cousin except I didn’t have a relative living in New York.
I have several observations that may or may not be relevant. First – I could never live there. There’s no elbow room. You have to wait in line for everything – – to eat – – to move – to just survive. Waiting in line may be fine for those with patience but it’s not for me.
I always thought I understood diversity, but until you spend some time at the city’s major landmarks, diversity doesn’t really become real.
To understand this country and its pull on people, just ride in a New York taxi cab. The drivers are from just about every country in the world. I had drivers from Russia, from Bangladesh, from Guinea, from Nigeria, from India, from Tibet – – the list goes on and on. And every single one of them told me that this was the best country in the world and that they had come for a better life. Almost all of them had become American citizens.
The museums in New York are beyond compare. I tried to visit as many as I could, but I was able to see only a small percentage of exhibits.
I took a tour of Ground Zero and the Memorial Park. But, I also got a private behind the scenes look at the Freedom Tower. We took a plywood elevator to the 90th floor and with the wind blowing through the uncompleted building were able to get a better look at the 16-acre site as well as all of New York City and parts of New Jersey.
However, I’ve had my fill. I’ve been to New York City. I’ve seen the elephant. I have no desire to go back, but I’m glad I went.
Posted in The Real News