Another Strike Story
I bundled up tightly, placing the scarf around my neck and zipping my down coat all the way up to my chin. I was too lazy to check the weather this morning. Had I done so, I'd have learned it wasn't as cold as it had been the past few mornings. No matter. I was ready.
To give you an idea of the kind of an impact this strike has had, take a quick look at the numbers. Do you think Chicago and Los Angeles are big cities? Well, combine their whole populations and you still don't have as many people that take NYC mass transit. Still not impressed? Add Boston.
New York is said to have lost $400 million the first day of the strike. That is more than the gross domestic product of 25 nations. In the three days of the strike thus far, the number rises to 59 nations. In just three days.
Now, I'm not going to go into a whole lot about who's right and who's wrong in this, although I do believe causing this much damage so people who drive buses can earn more and retire earlier than teachers is a bit excessive. Rather, I want to talk about the experience.
In the last twenty four hours I have walked about 50 street blocks and 20 avenue blocks (for you city folk, you know what that is). The streets at rush hour were mobbed, more than I'd ever seen them before. And there is only one conversation in New York right now. Every person talking to another person is talking about the strike. It's like one long continuous game of operator.
There is a bit of humor out there as well. People asked me which way was east and west quite a few times -- they hadn't done their commute above ground before. There are cabbies at night skyrocketing their prices and New Yorkers are forced to haggle in order to get to where they want to go. I was proud to see a friend get a cab from midtown to Brooklyn for just $15 last night.
Mostly, as I go through yet another New York experience, I find myself once again falling in love with the City and its people. Sure, there is griping and complaining. But people are going to work -- they're finding a way. People are making do. Even the cabbies who are taking advantage -- how New York to be opportunistic capitalists -- make it wonderful to be here.
There is no other city like this one. Anywhere. And there are no people on earth quite as resourceful and determined.
So today I walked to work. I donned my worldly cynicism and a touch of arrogance -- apparel that New Yorkers wear so well. And I made the best of it.
Ask any one here and they'll just say it's just another strike story.
To give you an idea of the kind of an impact this strike has had, take a quick look at the numbers. Do you think Chicago and Los Angeles are big cities? Well, combine their whole populations and you still don't have as many people that take NYC mass transit. Still not impressed? Add Boston.
New York is said to have lost $400 million the first day of the strike. That is more than the gross domestic product of 25 nations. In the three days of the strike thus far, the number rises to 59 nations. In just three days.
Now, I'm not going to go into a whole lot about who's right and who's wrong in this, although I do believe causing this much damage so people who drive buses can earn more and retire earlier than teachers is a bit excessive. Rather, I want to talk about the experience.
In the last twenty four hours I have walked about 50 street blocks and 20 avenue blocks (for you city folk, you know what that is). The streets at rush hour were mobbed, more than I'd ever seen them before. And there is only one conversation in New York right now. Every person talking to another person is talking about the strike. It's like one long continuous game of operator.
There is a bit of humor out there as well. People asked me which way was east and west quite a few times -- they hadn't done their commute above ground before. There are cabbies at night skyrocketing their prices and New Yorkers are forced to haggle in order to get to where they want to go. I was proud to see a friend get a cab from midtown to Brooklyn for just $15 last night.
Mostly, as I go through yet another New York experience, I find myself once again falling in love with the City and its people. Sure, there is griping and complaining. But people are going to work -- they're finding a way. People are making do. Even the cabbies who are taking advantage -- how New York to be opportunistic capitalists -- make it wonderful to be here.
There is no other city like this one. Anywhere. And there are no people on earth quite as resourceful and determined.
So today I walked to work. I donned my worldly cynicism and a touch of arrogance -- apparel that New Yorkers wear so well. And I made the best of it.
Ask any one here and they'll just say it's just another strike story.
posted by E-Luv at 8:26 AM
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