Our youngest had to catch a bus this morning at 5:30 am so he could attend his summer program. The bus was leaving from the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
To put it mildly, neither my son,nor his father are morning people. We, all three of us, set alarms for 4:00am. We were out on the street by 4:30 am. If you know either my husband or my son, take a moment to take in how stunning the previous statement is.
Just as we began to turn the corner to Broadway, my youngest remembered that he had left his wallet upstairs in the apartment. We waited outside while he ran to retrieve the wallet.
Just as we began to turn the corner to Broadway, my youngest remembered that he had left his wallet upstairs in the apartment. We waited outside while he ran to retrieve the wallet.
A panhandler soon approached, clearly drunk and asked for 5.00 to get back to Suffolk County. You can't live in New York very long before you recognize the familiar line. The person in question needs a specific amount of money to get to a specific place. The panhandler was very persistent. No, we didn't give him the $5.00.
Lately I have been seeing articles complaining that New York is no longer as charmingly gritty as it was during the 1980's. If you miss that grit or want to experience if for yourself if you missed it the first time around I would suggest that you spend time at the Port Authority Bus terminal before 5:00 am. The sleeping bums, the raunchy smell and the dirt are all there, just like they were in 1981. The plastic picket fences and fake trees along the walls don't really take away too much from that authentic New York in the age punk and CBGS's feeling.
We did eventually find the right line for the bus. We did get our son on the bus.
We took the subway home accompanied by a mix of very drunk people making their way home after nights out on the town, tired people coming home from work and quiet people going to work.
We got home, crawled into bed and went back to sleep.
Our son called to say that the people who were supposed to meet him after his nearly six hour bus ride had done their job. I called my mother soon after I woke up after my Port Authority Adventures. You should know that despite the fact that her stroke has impaired some parts of her brain, the worry part of her brain is completely intact. She thanked me for calling because she was up all night worrying if we had gotten our son to the bus.
If you need someone to lie in bed all night awake to worry about you, call my mother. She can lie awake and worry about you so you don't have to do it. She will do a good job.
We did eventually find the right line for the bus. We did get our son on the bus.
We took the subway home accompanied by a mix of very drunk people making their way home after nights out on the town, tired people coming home from work and quiet people going to work.
We got home, crawled into bed and went back to sleep.
Our son called to say that the people who were supposed to meet him after his nearly six hour bus ride had done their job. I called my mother soon after I woke up after my Port Authority Adventures. You should know that despite the fact that her stroke has impaired some parts of her brain, the worry part of her brain is completely intact. She thanked me for calling because she was up all night worrying if we had gotten our son to the bus.
If you need someone to lie in bed all night awake to worry about you, call my mother. She can lie awake and worry about you so you don't have to do it. She will do a good job.
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| Currently far away |
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| A very excellent worrier. |
Sarah, I think we have the same mother and may be long lost sisters. Loved this post. Reminded me of a long forgotten 1980s trip to the the Port Authority. I won't bother anyone with the literally gory details. I love NY and am glad the 80s are a thing of the past. Anyway, you and DH are wonderful parents and surely earned your nap.
ReplyDeleteWendy...the nap was simply not optional.
ReplyDeleteOh I could really use the services of a surrogate worrier! Thank her in advance! SanMarie.
ReplyDeleteMy mother might have to love you before she worries about you all night, but she is a champion worrier.
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