Have I mentioned how much I love this city? Have I mentioned the way a crisis really pulls the best out of New Yorkers? Have I mentioned how generous and kind we are in a pinch? How amazingly patient, even blase? Well, let me remind you: New Yorkers ROCK! Or at least in my experience. So far, I think the transit strike may be backfiring, and just making the union look bad. New Yorkers seem to be coping just fine, thanks very much.
I was lucky enough to miss the worst of it in the morning, but I walked out of my door this morning a little before 9 AM, got some cash and went in search of a car service to take me to the Fordham Metro North train station, where I could catch a New Haven line train to Grand Central. There were a bunch of other people milling around on the corner doing the same thing, but within a minute of beginning to look, a couple of girls pointed out a guy in an SUV who said he would take people anywhere they wanted to go in the Bronx. Before walking out this morning, I'd more or less decided I wasn't going to just hop in a car with anybody who offerend me a ride. I'd get a car service. And yet, that's what I did with this guy, the moment he offered. And I wasn't even late, yet.
His name was Casimir, and he was from Haiti (and what is it with Haitians naming their kids after Russians, like our IT guy Vladimir?) We had a nice chat about New York, the union, the strike, the Bronx, Haiti, Michigan, and the fact that people should help each other out when things like this happen. He dropped me off in front of the station, and wouldn't take a dime.
At the station, I trooped down to the tracks with everyone else, clutching my $4, got on the moderately crowded train (I've seen much worse on the subway), and twenty minutes later, we were in Grand Central. I had a nice chat with a guy wearing a replica Union soldier greatcoat and cap about battlefields and Hadrian's Wall. Nobody ever came for my money. My commute this morning was free.
All was orderly. People grumbled a little, and complained about both the union and the MTA in equal measure, but there was no outrage. In fact, I was thinking that the mood had actually lifted a bit, now that the inevitable had actually happened and we were in the midst of yet another iconic New York City event. The night before, riding the subway home, the mood in the car had been tense with anticipation and dread, gloomy even, with the threat of a strike hanging over people's holidays and spoiling them. Today, the people I chatted with on the train seemed both relieved and resigned: the fertilizer had hit the fan; time to knuckle down and shovel. There was a foxhole (as opposed to lifeboat) camraderie that we avoid studiously when things are as usual. We were bound by adversity and obligated to keep each other's spirits up.
Even the commute home wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. The Bronx shuttle trains that Metro-North had said would not be in place for 24 hours were already running when I walked back into Grand Central at a little after 6 pm. Apart from the abundance of cops standing around with yellow tape blocking of entrances and the confusing lack of signs, the worst part was the enormous line of damned souls snaking up from the bowels of the station, leading to the Metro-North Bronx shuttles that weren't supposed to be available for another 12 hours. It actually moved along at a pretty good clip, too. Within 45 minutes I was in a train that was just a little pokey and got me back to Fordham in about 20 minutes. I actually even got a seat, and again, no one took my money. Outside the station, I found another cab in about 30 seconds and was followed into it by two other riders also going to Parkchester. The cab cost me $5, which is about what my commute usually costs anyway. I was home by 8, and impressed with how organized Metro-North was, although I hear the LIRR wasn't so good.
All in all, this hasn't been as horrible as we've been lead to believe, yet. But then, I didn't drive or try to drive. Even so, the gridlock to end all gridlocks that Mayor Mike predicted didn't materialize either. I think the press has been somewhat disappointed that it hasn't been a major catastrophe.
The strike is young. More tomorrow.
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