I was transferring from the C to the L at 14th Street right here in the greatest city in the world (you may know it — it’s New York City, baby), when something happened that encompassed exactly why I love this place so much.
I was crossing the mezzanine when a nicely dressed 20-something caught my eye. He was wearing a maroon blazer, Gucci loafers, and I want to say sunglasses. The way I’m describing his outfit is heinous, but trust me, he looked great. He was very much headed somewhere when he suddenly stepped to his right towards an emergency exit gate. He opened the gate where a guy was waiting and hoping someone would help him with his fare evasion. Success. Once through the gate, the two barely looked at each other aside from a subtle nod of recognition, before going their own ways and on their own trains.
It was so fast — a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it thing — but it said it all for me. This a city full of strangers who, when you really look at us, don’t act like strangers at all.