Bootleg Anyone?

A familiarity in New York City is the contrabrand goods available on street corners with the street vendors calling out prices for their wares...bargaining to sell their products as fast as they can. Even on the Subways, it is no different. DVDs of recent Blockbuster releases are sold at a low price..the Asian lady walks through the crowd flashing the DVDs. She makes her way through the subway cars and usually sells them for $10. I find this hustler mentality intoxicating but at the same time highly disturbing. It is clearly illegal in every sense but generally accepted; I guess in this case our morals take a backseat so that we can enjoy a movie for a price difference of $3.00 and some change.

Another instance is when young Black males get on the train with candy boxes for sale at $1. They say it is for "Fundraising" but I find that hard to believe. At any rate, more power to anyone hustling to make a dollar. These are the sightings that I witness on the subway...I sometimes wonder what Life is like for them outside the subway.


Love,

Jennifer

Good Deeds on the Subway

Most people often describe New Yorkers as nonchalant, go-getters, fast paced people with lack of emotion especially for outsiders (tourists, non-New Yorkers, etc). But I have experienced great acts of kindness from some New Yorkers since I've been back to NY. For instance, after my long and exhausting trip from North Carolina to NY, I was contemplating how I'll take a large box of heavy books all the way back to my apartment using the subway. Without a trolley or a friend to lend a helping hand, I was stuck at Penn Station for what felt like an eternity. As I waited for the elevator, I sent up a little prayer, asking God to send me an angel to help me with this load. As the elevator door opened, low and behold, a man with a trolley was in there...he asked to help me carry the box and he was with me all the way to my first train stop. And there, we parted ways. But once again, another young man helped me with my luggage and boxes (carrying books)all the way to my apartment!! I asked to pay for his bus fare and he strongly declined...all he asked for was a cup of cold water which I obliged. This was a perfect example of good deeds on the subway...But I guess you have to be a good person for good things to happen to you :)

Off course there are other instances; such as a young man or woman getting up for an elderly or disabled or a child. These type of courtesy shown by New Yorkers definitely defies what other may think of us...Yes we like to RUSH to everywhere that we are going but some of us have a strong, pulsating vein of human emotion in them. Every Good deed is rewarded.

Love,
Jennifer