My 19th American Day

It's been 19 days. What a way to experience America. No trips to the Statue Of Liberty. No photos of the Empire State Building. And yet...I have seen more New York than any other possible tourist. The day I landed in New York, on my 5th American Day...the previous four having been spent carefree at my brother's house in Dallas, I threw my bags impatiently on my hotel bed and rushed out. I wanted to walk. To walk the length and breadth of New York. To see what the hype was all about. And so I got my gps out and rushed to Times Square! And boy, was I floored! The hype really did hold. The bright lights, the people, the mad rush...it was too good to be true.

Most of all, it was fascinating. The boy standing in the corner with a signboard that said: Please give me money for weed!! Another man with the signboard: Today is my 33rd birthday and I need to take my girlfriend to a motel. So please help! - For a person from India, that is no charity. For us charity would be if you were dying and needed money for a transplant. Not weed for a Saturday evening. And definitely not money for you to do the nasty on your 33rd! Five days later...the man was still there and it was still his 33rd birthday.

And yes...the preacher. The one that was standing right in front of the red seated-area, shouting Bible verses. Now, I come from the church and despite all the drama I went thru at my previous church (Oh yes...big time drama)...I never had the experience of being cursed at the way the man was cursing at the people head on.

"Repent or you shall go to hell!"

Seriously!

And then came the heart-breaking part: the people in need!

The first time someone came to me and asked me for money, I didn't understand what he was saying. I just thought he was asking me some kind of direction and I said no. Then he went past me and I saw him ask someone else, and that's when I realized he was asking me for food. I was heartbroken. As in totally. How could I turn my back on people in need? So I decided the next time someone asked me, I would be alert and do the needful. A few minutes later came this young lady asking me to buy her food. I bought her a pizza and when I did, she sincerely explained: "I am sorry to bother you. It's just that my boyfriend and I spent all our money buying our dog, food. So we had to bother you!"

My eyes opened wide! I just didn't understand that kind of asking. I mean, really. That was ridiculous! Over the next three days, I landed up buying food for close to ten people. Then it hit me...the reality of the situation. Now I do what New Yorkers usually do - Never make eye contact with ANYONE on the sidewalks. Two days ago, I accidentally did...and this beautiful black lady smiled wide and said: "Hello, can you just give me 5 dollars to do my laundry?!" I gave her two. And then I swore to myself never to get sucked in.

So this is my 19th day...and I must have walked at least 5 miles a day. Now I know what is downtown, midtown, uptown, East side, West side, where the Bronx is, where Brooklyn is. I know the subway system, the trains to take, 6 goes to my place, 5 goes to my place but doesn't stop at my place, R goes to Jackson Heights where you couldnt tell if you were in America or in India. And of course there is SOHO, Union Square, Central Park which is so big...I still haven't gone past five blocks worth of the park. And I also know never to buy anything at Macy's...though I did see the back of Mariah Carey's head the day before Thanksgiving...my first celebrity sighting! Thanks, Macy! And thanks for the exorbitant prices! Black Friday notwithstanding.

I think I will continue walking tomorrow. And see the splendor that is New York. The city I fell in love with while my flight was still on its way down. The city I fell in love with despite being deeply disappointed with the pretzels on the sidewalks. (Why on earth would you have those horrible salt crystals on them?)

The city I fell in love with because...well, it is New York. And that is good enough reason. For now.