The thoughts I had were amazing as I watched a Monday night unfold from Brooklyn to Greenwich. I walked by while the firemen parked their trucks in the station, while folks sat outside on steps and stoops, talking and laughing. The bodegas were largely quiet, and the stores had all closed, but the bar down the street was alive with the wannabes warbling some song via karaoke. On the subway, people enjoyed the cool of the AC on this otherwise pleasantly muggy evening.
Perhaps because Carrie and I had one of the Music Choice channels on, I found myself in an Elton John mood. On occasion, I am reminded that Sir Elton is a great artist with an unbelievable catalog of music (though I'm not as much of a fan, say, post-1986 or so). So there I was, rocking with "Take Me To the Pilot", "Honky Cat" (loved that song since we used to play it every Saturday night on the jukebox of the old Crompond Diner), and so on until I reached "Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters." As I stood on the train platform, transferring from the Q to the 4 train at Union Square, I heard the words.
And now I knowI couldn't help but smile. In theory, it's not an uber happy song, but I liked the thought of listening to a song about New York City, and the mention of the subway, while standing in that very place. Call it the optimist in me; the desire to make the good out of bad.
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say
I thought I knew
But now I know that rose trees never grow in New York City
Subway's no way for a good man to go down
Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown
And I thank the Lord for the people I have found
I thank the Lord for the people I have found
Or simply call it not caring, and being happy to be where I was - coming from a night with an incredible person in the greatest city in the world, where my worries were (at that point) nearly minimal. Yeah, that's about right.
The video is linked here.
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