Strike Exodus before Christmas

Nope I’m not talking about that great rush you do to finish up buying those last minute gifts. New Yorkers like myself are more concern red about finding a way to work or a way to get out to finish there Christmas s shopping. Oy. Yesterday like most of New Yorkers I held my breath hoping that the strike wouldn’t happen. Well it did and then there was the scramble to find other means to get into work. Yeah, yeah I could of done the sane thing and stayed home but heck I’m a New Yorker and if a little thing like a blackout wouldn’t stop me from going to work why should not having my regular transport stop me. I’m sure you figured out the punch line already but let me give you more insight into the workings of the great Strike Exodus.

I’ve been staying at a relatives house so I could get a ride to a train that was working if the strike was to occur. I’ve been without my computer which means no internet (except when I can sneak on at work shhhh…. don’t tell anyone). On Monday morning I was so happy there was service I did a little jig yes you heard me I danced to work on my merry way. Then on Tuesday came the strike. I went to the train I could take which is really out of my way. It was a Metro North and waiting on that platform I was feeling that cold air. Getting in to work wasn’t to bad. I even made a friend on the train and we talked to our stop. When I arrived at Grand Central it was okay and my new friend helped me find a bus that my job had set up to take us into lower manhattan. After a few almost crazy moments I got where I needed to be. Again it wasn’t so bad.

Then reality struck as I left to go home. My job transport was nowhere to be found for hours I was in the cold. I couldn’t feel my hands or feet. Finally I got on the transport and made it back to Grand Central at about 8 o’clock and let me tell you. I’ve never seen so many people. It was a mass of moving bodies all rushing to get out of the city. Now this was already almost 8 o’clock at night. And it was a mad house. An Exodus of people you would not believe. I was lucky enough to catch another family member on the phone and ask to get a ride uptown. Now I had to trek back through the crowd to get out. Got to the doors and found I was locked in they weren’t letting anyone in or out. It was crazy. Well after a few choice words I was able to get out and make my flight to meet my ride who was six blocks away coming uptown and would meet me at 42 street. I walked fast as I could.

But then the funniest thing happened. I took a glance around and slowed down and appreciated the beauty around me. If you have visited around Grand Central before especially at Christmas you realize what I mean. It was beautiful even though everyone was running around to get where they were going. The air was cold and crisp. The sounds of New York was alive and well. The people were being New Yorkers by dealing with what was thrown at us as best as they could. In that moment my love of New York came into me. Now don’t get me wrong I was still pissed at having such a crappy commute but I was in the heart of New York City and there is no feeling like it. I walked on appreciating the sight and sounds. I still made it in time to meet my ride, was stuck in traffic for hours but hey I came away with the beauty of what New York is.

This Strike Exodus is going on and no one knows how long it will take. I have to be to work no matter what anyway. So each day I’m waiting to see what experience I will come away with.

McKenna