traffic jam bouquets
Dear Diary:
Me and a friend were going out of town. We were in a long line of cars to enter the Lincoln Tunnel. There were a lot of cars, so we were stopping and waiting over and over again.
We came across a man who was selling bouquets of flowers in a buggy. As we moved on from him, he gave one to each of us.
“Young ladies,” he said, “these flowers were sent to you by two young men a few cars ahead.”
Then the line started moving. We looked ahead of us, but never saw who sent the flowers.
— Diane Delaney
seat saver
Dear Diary:
My husband and I were on the A train one night, feeling exhausted and ready to sit on any vacant seat. Unfortunately, most of those that were available were either dirty or covered with water.
I sat next to one of the waterlogged people, and my husband, acting bold, stood nearby.
A woman left, took out a tissue from her pocketbook, wiped off the water and gestured for my husband to sit down – without saying a word.
— Shaheen Rushdie
To Wait
Dear Diary:
I was pacing First Avenue on a hot summer night. The object of my affection should have ended with her shift at Sloan Catering 20 minutes earlier. I hadn’t seen him in two weeks, and my impatience was taking hold of me.
An old woman was pushing a small grocery cart onto the sidewalk. Even in the midst of my anger, I saw her staring at me with a grin that could best be described as that of a cherub.
We made brief eye contact, and I remember saying, “That’s what I want.”
When I felt my hand on my hand, the doors of the hospital had opened a few more times.
Startled, I turned my head around and saw the lady in the car smiling at me.
“You are waiting for your sweetie,” he whispered.
“Yes,” I said.
Just then, the doors opened again and I had a sweetheart. She jumped into my arms. I’ve never been so happy in my whole life.
The woman was forgotten, but only for a short time. I want him to know that we have been married for 10 years.
– ty heck
tap step
Dear Diary:
It was winter in Manhattan. I walked from my day job at a law firm to the stage door of a Broadway theater, tapping shoes in hand, to join the queue of hundreds of women participating in an open call to “42nd Street.”
I tried five years ago, but was thrown out within the first few minutes because I wasn’t precise enough in my tap sounds. I have been practicing ever since.
I made it through the first lineup and the execution of two key tap steps that were simple but still an excellent measure of a tapper’s abilities. I ran outside to find the phone booth to call the law firm to say I would not be back that day.
Later, in the evening, I stepped into a gentle snow, shaking my head and laughing at myself.
After singing and reading, I went to the last five women, only to find that the advertised call contained false print. Only women who are 5 foot-7 or taller will be considered. I’m 5 foot-4. The casting director said the cost of the costumes was $500,000. Pratibha got second place.
I tasted the ice on my tongue and my smile grew even bigger. As I walked towards the subway, I put on my tap shoes. I will never forget to stand on top of an empty stage, chest high, arms stretched, and walk with the pianist toward rows of empty seats at just the right time.
— Alexana Ryer
scented text
Dear Diary:
After getting off the 7th train at Grand Central on my way to work, I made a line to get a $2 breakfast sandwich. Like most New Yorkers on Tuesday mornings, I was focused on getting from point A to point B, with as little human contact as possible.
I heard a man calling me as I entered the cafe. Trying to get my attention, I turned around to find a sweeper, one of “New York’s strongest”.
I thought he wanted me to hold the door for him, but he surprised me with a question.
“Excuse me, sir,” he said. “But what scent are you wearing?”
Confused and a little hesitant, I called him Tom Ford, but it had a French name I couldn’t pronounce.
He proceeded to confirm the name for me in French, and then to educate me about Tom Ford’s leading position in the fragrance world, as well as how the trend spread through the industry, of rose fragrance. From acceleration to bleu de channel effect.
As I listened, I found it somehow ironic and yet utterly surprising that a sweeper was explaining it all to me.
– Amadeo Plaza