Seemingly Uneventful Day (Part 1)

I've always wondered what would make me want to pick up the habit of writing again. I'd say I just needed to take these past two years and just live a little; give myself time to experience things and reflect. But instead of writing about all of the trials and tribulations of what has happened to me these past two years, I'll just tell you about what's going on now. Deal?

Have you ever wondered why NYC is portrayed as some terribly crime infested, "crazy-shit-happening", CONSTANTLY, sort of city? I can not watch a movie or a show set in NYC without cringing at the inaccuracies that are portrayed on the screen. I feel it is not the people of the city that are mean or deceitful. Granted there are a bunch of loonies running around, but as a whole I think we are a caring group. Its amazing how this huge city of millions can seem like such a small neighborhood at times. Every body knows some body, that knows someone you know... if you catch my drift.

Enough about that. Believe me, I feel as if I will touch upon that subject in some entry hereafter. Back to my point: the citizens of NYC are a caring group. So who is it that embodies the mean and deceitful stereotype more than anyone in NYC? AUTHORITY! Forgive me for sounding like a conspiracy theorist but after living in this city my entire life, I feel like I have the right to say so.

Just the other day while waiting for the bus after work, I was on the phone with my friend Mike. Suddenly I yelled "SHIT!" I've just seen this bicyclist get hit by a car. He flew off of his bike, the contents of his pockets spilling onto the pavement, the situation inevitably causing a traffic jam. As he laid in the middle of the street, the gypsy cab driver that hit him sat motionless in his car, seemingly astonished at what has just happened. After a few moments of staring into space he started out of the car with a delayed reaction.

The Bicyclist was unscathed, thankfully! He simply sat up, he too with a delayed reaction. Then out of nowhere, the already cacophonous air of 96th street, was permeated with the blaring of a siren from an undercover cop car zooming down Columbus Avenue. Of course the car was forced to stop at the site of the accident but instead of the officers getting out of the car to help The Bicyclist, the car just stopped and blared the siren even more. Even honked the horn at the poor man on the ground as if to say "Hey Motherfucker, hurry up and move because you're blocking the way".

Poor Bicyclist. He sat, stunned at what was happening until he gathered his wits and his pride, which was some feat considering the ridiculous amount of noise coming from the Cop Car. He was able to stand up and walk his bike over to the curb, doubling back to pick up his wallet and other possessions that flew out into the air at moment of impact. The already shaken Gypsy Cab Driver hopped back into his car soon after to move it out of the intersection as well. As soon as there was an acceptable amount of clearance the Cop Car sped down the avenue once more.

As I stood a few hundred feet away with my mouth slightly open, I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I'd never witnessed a potentially fatal car accident before but what made an even bigger impression on me was the police officers that completely disregarded the poor man in the street. How could you see a man lying on the pavement with a mass traffic jam surrounding him and not stop the car to see if he was OK? At that moment I was enraged. I could not believe it. I simply refused to accept the fact that the people we are supposed to admire, respect and rely on in times of need would do something so heartless.

I considered walking over to The Bicyclist to offer help and to find out if he was truly alright. But then I noticed, he was banging on the Gypsy Cab Driver's window. I started to laugh to myself. The other people waiting for the bus must have thought that I was unhinged but I could not help it. If only one stereotype about New Yorkers were true, it would be that we are TOUGH! My bus pulled in and I walked up the steps shaking my head at the impending altercation across the street. My day had just begun.