Spring Comes to New York

New York City finally entered spring this week. The last vestiges of winter chill melted under afternoon sun. Women’s legs started making more appearances. Being inside behind a desk became that much more depressing. It was still light out when I got out of work – most evenings anyway.

Spring brought with it the first flush of heat that promises the oppressive city summer in a few months time. There will also be at least one weekend in the spring where we get a heavy, awful taste of summer heat. It will be May and 97 degrees and we will test out our air conditioners for the first time.

After work a few evenings ago I went with some co-workers to a bar in New York’s financial district to say goodbye to a former co-worker. The bar was so crowded that I didn’t stay for a drink. I said my goodbyes to my former co-worker, a very pleasant and attractive woman who has a very bright and positive personality and is already missed. I congratulated her on her new job and gave her an awkward one-armed hug.

I went to the restroom and when I returned, my co-worker Ari said, “I’m not staying.”

“I’m with you, Ari,” I told him, and we left. I’m sorry, but no amount of drink specials is worth being miserable. I go to bars to either drink and relax with friends or to see live music. Neither was happening here.

Ari and I were grateful for the fresh air and to be out of the hellish bar. We briefly explored the interesting narrow alley known as Liberty Place – near Liberty and Nassau Streets. Downtown is a fascinating maze of streets you’ve never heard of will take you to neat pockets of the city you’ve never been to or knew were there. What makes it interesting is that this is the oldest part of New York City and the streets were created by the Dutch a long time ago. You have very old, narrow streets lined with very large buildings. It is a part of the city that has a lot of character.

The subway ride home was the same crowded, overheated hell that I had just fled, but at least I had a seat and could read or doze off to help me forget my misery.