Winding Pathways usually blogs about wondrous happenings in backyards. It’s normally rural news about plants, wildlife and weather. Here’s a change from the Big Apple, America’s largest city.
In the midst of rush hour on November 10, on my way back to Iowa after a difficult visit, I, (Rich) took a bus from New Jersey to New York’s Port Authority. When the driver opened the door bus occupants flowed into a river of humanity snaking its way through the monstrous terminal-along corridors, down escalators and through more corridors, until finally we were outside by the New York Times Building.
Needing to find the shuttle to LaGuardia Airport I went to where I thought it would be. No luck. No shuttle. Rather frazzled and running short on time I found a young policeman and asked where the Airport shuttle was. He said, “You look tired. Just follow me”. He delivered me to the shuttle ticket guy.
Then something truly “New York” happened. After buying a ticket and getting seated on the shuttle the driver entered. He was a tiny Asian man who looked to be about 15 years old but certainly was older. I’d be surprised if he weighed 100 pounds and he spoke no English. A blond woman sitting near me also spoke no English. She may have been Scandinavian and could not find the proper ticket in her purse. She and the driver were not able to communicate, so the young driver exited and soon came back with a bus employee with a deep Southern accent who was about three times his size. She politely pointed to the proper ticket nestled with many others in the European woman’s purse.
Everyone smiled as the passenger handed her ticket to the driver. We were soon off to LaGuardia Airport with the young driver ably worming the bus through Manhattan’s snarly traffic.
Three people. None shared a common language. All wanted a positive outcome…….and that happened. It was wondrous.
