One of the 'challenges' to living in NYC without a car and only public transportation and my good 'ole chevrolegs to rely on, is yet one of the simplest of things - going grocery shopping. And going grocery shopping at my favorite Trader Joes to boot, is an added challenge - because it requires me to alter my train route home to a walk down a few blocks to the 1 station at 50th and 7th Ave instead of walking downstairs to the Rockefeller Concourse and hopping on the B without even having to go outside. Then after a much longer wait and crowded train-ride I must transfer to Chambers where I catch the 2/3 directly across the platform - and then I take that to Borough Hall and walk the few blocks to downtown Brooklyn TJs. (#firstworldproblems) Yes, I could go to the Union Square TJs at lunch I suppose - but I have found that location to be especially nightmarish. As in, one-in-one-out lines waiting out front every time. And during the winter season an NYCer is smart about limiting outdoor exposure. I know I am truly blessed with a 4-block walk to my B/Q subway stop at 7th Ave. and getting dropped off in the concourse directly below the Time & Life building without having to go outside once arrived at and departing from work. But that is part of the reason we choice our apt. is because of the subway-stop locality. I digress, per the usual.......back to my TJs shopping trip:
So I had not been to TJs in a 'hot minute' (Kel loves when I say this because she then retorts, "Yeah, you're right, you have not been in over 60 seconds.....), but I truly had not been since around the holiday time some time in December - not only because it is a bit inconvenient, but also I suppose because of the colder weather. Relying upon our local Key Foods market and D&Y Natural Land is much quicker option for groceries when in need. Finally got back to TJs this week however, in need of some basic kitchen staples, work snacks, and as I prepare for a romantic weekend getaway in the Catskills with my love. (WAHOOOOOO on that note, BTW!!! we are so both in need of the R&R). But the thing is, when you go grocery shopping by yourself here in NYC and you are without a) a car for starters and b) without granny cart - you must heed caution - because one can only hold so much of a load with their two God-given hands! (sometimes I like to think I have four, such as this time - and I like to think that because I am blessed with long, strong arms, that am capable of bearing more of a load than I can, or should, for that matter). So at checkout - I politely asked the TJs clerk to consolidate my goods into two bags if possible, not realizing that he had already loaded 3 and was on to his 4th, moreso, what would have been my 4th bag - and I already had my work/computer bag on my shoulder.....His eyes widened a bit but agreed and proceeded to consolidate the groceries. I carried them out like the confident commuter-pedestrian that I am, and I soon realized before I got to the adjacent streetlight that I might be in over my head. But per the usual when carrying what is probably too heavy of a load for one individual, especially a lady (oh woe is me, damsel in distress. bahhumbug to that!) - I pushed forward, looking to this as an inadvertent 'weight lifting' exercise. At that very moment, a sweet young lady had just walked up next to me with her brand new purchased granny cart, and an empty granny cart at that! She looked down at my overflowing grocery bags, made the connection, asked where I was going, and every so kindly offered her granny cart for me to use, seeing as we were headed in the same direction and towards the same destination of the Court Street. train stop (for all you non-NYers, train is synonymous and interchangeable with subway here). God bless this woman. She may as well be my guardian angel. We had a nice sweet, light-hearted chat en route to the train stop. And she works at Barneys, to boot! I may have to pay her a visit there and kindle a friendship..........;-) First exhibit last night of "Teamwork makes the dream work." After catching the 2 train to Grand Army Plaza and guarding my groceries like they were my babies on the train, I began to make my exit off the train car and onto my home platform.........and then one of my bags began to slowly rip and give way.....noooooooo - I thought to myself...........as if I were reacting the scene from Home Alone. But I felt it starting to rip, softened the fall and caught it before a hard crash to the floor. PHEW! But I mean, meh, what was I gonna do? Cry over a ripped bag? Throw mycrown of broccoli at the passing train? No. You realize and learn lessons in moments like these and you move forward. Because sometimes, you just gotta laugh. Fortunate for me again - yet another sweet stranger to grace me with her kindness. A woman standing adjacent saw my bag ripping fiasco and kindly offered one of the grocery bags she had on her. God bless her again. These two kind women I connected with last night could have continued minding their own business and not lent a helping hand. They could have ignored me and passed right by me. They did not have to offer help or talk with a stranger, expend the energy to help me when I could have figured it out myself. But we are not strangers here in NYC. We are all neighbors. We are a community. And the sense of community I have felt here in the past 9 months in what I once pre-conceived as a 'cold, hard city' amounts to more of a sense of community in the 29 years that came before that. I love people. I love life. And I especially love NYC. Life is what you make of it. Not everyone has my/our experience because not everyone is the same. We are different and that is why life is a symphony of sights and sounds - different strokes for different folks. Some places, some experiences, some conditions and scenarios work for some and not for others. Life is definitely not a "one size fits all". Find the size that fits for you. Because once you find it, everything will fit and fall into place. And remember, sometimes you just gotta laugh......and not at the fact that 1/13/14 was the last time we blogged. =/
XOXO
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