Returning to the Island
I consider myself to be a proud New Yorker. I love living here, and should love it considering my life long dream to experience such an amazing city. Despite my devotion, I’m definitely not one of those “island people” who would only leave under the threat of death. New York is a place that gets under your skin and I truly believe getting away every now and then is good for the soul. But, have you ever thought that getting away too long would pose a Manhattanite karmic-retribution? Meaning, the island would punish you for leaving? I'm starting to be a believer and last night received a hefty dose of payback.Yesterday was the last day of my two week long sabbatical to the Midwest. Lots of family, friends and driving. I’ve been battling a hefty dose of bronchitis for about a week, so needless to say I’m not feeling rested. So you can imagine my dismay at arriving at the Minneapolis airport only to see my flight to Newark was delayed by two and a half hours.
Enter eternally long lunch, prolonged magazine browsing and umpteen trips to Caribou Coffee, intermittent with bouts of lung-mangling coughing sessions. I won’t bore you with the details of the flight, but needless to say, it entailed LOTS of waiting around in the plane.
I finally got back to Newark and held my breath until I saw my luggage tumble off of the conveyer belt. I dragged my 72 pounds of luggage to the taxi line only to see that it extended down the sidewalk at a length that would rival the Great Wall of China.
More waiting. More hacking up a lung. Enter cab. At long last, the final leg of the trip. Or so I thought...
As we were driving toward the city, and in the final coups de grace of my punishment, the cab got a flat tire on the New Jersey Turnpike! Said cab managed to get through the first toll way and then proceeded to pull into a random parking lot off of the freeway. It was just after midnight.
I almost started crying. I saw my life flash before my eyes. I said to myself, I’m going to die at the hands of a smoking, pine-tree scented cabbie from Newark! I could see the headlines rise up…"Flat Tire Equals Final Fate for Midwestern Transplant."
OK, it wasn’t that dramatic, but you have to admit being stuck in a random cab off the turnpike is pretty freaky.
Finally, another cab came to pick me up and I was on my way home. Around 12:45, I finally walked into my apartment with a huge sigh of relief - and a pang of sadness. My vacation was over. No more being coddled by my parents, no more home cooked food, no more fun with my sisters, no more Midwestern mellowness. The next morning would signal a new year of craziness and there would be no end in sight.
New York might have been punishing me for leaving, but leaving New York for two weeks still does the same thing that it always does to me. It makes me miss what I don’t have here.
I think my bad karma is a result of the city being jealous of my wandering eye.
posted by Lisa @ 2:51 PM
2 Comments:
Dang-that is one heck of a trip home - almost nightmarish. Glad you made it safely back to the great NYC.
I know what you mean about missing things you don't have once you're home. Bummer!!
Everytime I read one of your posts about NYC I want to go more :o)
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