The MTA Strike

We hoped it wouldn't happen, but the New York City transit workers went through with a strike today, leaving 8 million people to figure out how the heck to get to work. I won't go into my irritation about this because that's not what this site is about. Instead I want to write about my admiration and gratitude to all the people who just COPED! and helped one another; especially the people who helped me.

I live in Queens but work in Soho, in Manhattan. To those of you who don't know NYC, that means that I am pretty much totally dependent on the train to get to work. I could drive, but during the strike you have to have four people in your car to get across the bridge. Also, I have to drop my son off way uptown first; but I realized if I left my house early enough to get to work on time, there would be no one at the school to drop him off TO! Argh!

But we managed - and it reminded me of one of those Sesame Street segments about "Cooperation." Remember?

This morning, my beloved fiance woke me at 6 AM to tell me the strike was on. I muttered some profanity and imprecations and basically went, harumph, $(*#&(@&%, but he gave me a big kiss and hug, threw me into the shower, and had coffee ready. Then he went and woke up my son with a pillow fight. About 6:30, my coworker and neighbor Tom and his girlfriend showed up. I would take them into the city and in return they would fill up my car so that we could actually be allowed in!

We crossed the Triboro bridge at dawn. The city looked beautiful and remote - cold and silver gray in the early morning sunshine. The streets seemed empty - not the parking lot I had feared. We drove to the apartment building of two of Connor's classmates, whose mother had agreed to feed my boy breakfast and then walk with him and her twins the three blocks to school. The rest of us sailed downtown with no problems at all, parked in a garage around the corner from the office, and I was at my desk by 8:30 AM.

Ha! Take that, MTA! You are no match for the resourcefulness and kindness of the New Yorkers in my life.