Excerpts from a city conversation

-
On a beautiful sunny sunday, I took my two sons to NYC to the International Kids Film Festival. 
I was really looking forward to it but I realized that those feelings weren't reciprocated as soon as we arrived in Grand Central Station.
Mom: "OK guys let's hop on the subway, it'll be faster."
Boys: "oh common mom, let's take a cab. Pleeeaasseee.?"
M: "OK fine."


Out into the sunshine we go.
M: "Wow a what a beautiful day!"
B: "There is so much construction in the city, it's loud."
M: "Can you the african drums? We used to come and listen to them every sunday night, and sometimes they'd let you play with them."
B: "What time are we taking the train back? Will it still be daylight? Can we play with our friends?"


OK let me try and jog their memories about how much they used to love it here.
M: "You know you were born in this city."
B: "When's the movie starting? We want to go home!"
M: "Let's have lunch! Do you remember this diner? We use to pop in for dinner and brunch! You loved this place."
B: "So what's the plan mom, when are going home?"



We walk for 3 and half blocks.One son gets hit in the head by some woman's handbag.
M: "Oh look H&H bagel. Let's get some real bagels to bring home."
B: " Mom we have bagels in Westport and they're the same."
( OMG what is the world coming to? Next thing I know they'll be telling me that a Stew Leonard's croissant is no different to the ones we eat in Paris!)

We head downtown on the subway
As soon as we sit down an unfortunate soul starts shouting nonsensical sentences over and over.
S:"what's he saying?"
M: "Just ignore him."
S: "Why is he screaming?"
M: "Don't worry about it, we only have 8 more stops."

M: "Ok we're almost at the movie theater, do you guys want to get cool new shoes for the summer or do you want to sit and wait for 30 minutes until the movie starts?"
B: "Do we have to go to the movie? Can't we just go home?"
Exaperated look from me
B: "Ok let's sit down and wait - I can't walk anymore!"
B: "Mom did you know that when you move to a new place you don't want to go back to the old place? You just want to get to know the new place."
B: "Yeah, Westport's our home now. It's where are friends are."
B: "We never want to come back to NYC! We just want to go home and play with our friends."

I guess some of us have moved on faster than others. I, for one, still need my city fix, next time I'm coming solo.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I live in Wall-e world.

-
One of the things that scared me the most about moving to the suburbs was that I wouldn't be able to walk anywhere ever again. I love walking. It's an opportunity to think, to see friends on the street, to find a great new store... Anyway to try and find a compromise we chose a house which is walking distance to town, with actual sidewalks to get you there, but I've only done it once. Only once because since I was the only soul walking, I basically was like an alien to the drivers on the road so I risked being road kill about four times in the space of 10 minutes! I actually had to call my hubby to ask me to come and pick me up in the car! How humiliating! Needless to say to stay alive I drive to town. But it gets worse. We live on a cul-de-sac where the kids can walk to the school bus stop. It's about 400 yards. In the morning my sons and I walk to the bus stop. In the afternoon we ride our bikes home just because the hill is fun. Well we are now the weirdos of the ne...
Read more

No Matter Where

-
Image
No matter where I reside, whether in the city or the burbs, I am appalled by McDonald's. I am appalled by the way corporations in this country poison consumers, young and old, and have the nerve to label their junk with health claims! Read New York Time columnist Mark Bittman's account of McDonald's latest "wholesome" offering and see what set me off! http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/how-to-make-oatmeal-wrong/?partner=rss&emc=rss
Read more

It's all in the planning

-
Here is the insight for the day. City = spontaneity, Westport = planning. When you walk out the door in the city you are almost assaulted by all of the possibilities. Best of all if one plan doesn't work out there is always a back up option. It's almost impossible to live in the city and not feel like you've made the most of your day. The city doesn't allow you to be lazy. In Westport if I'm going to do anything outside of the house, I have to plan. If I want to see people, I have to plan. I'm not going to run into someone while I drop off the kids to school with the car, and I'm not going to see anything on my morning run that will stop me in my track and say great I'll do that today. Out here you have to decide to be proactive and make the most of it. This is where the NYC attitude comes in handy. So let's see what have I done to be proactive. I joined the PTA and was invited to a great moms-only cocktail party, where I met lots of moms like me....
Read more