January 20, 2016
New York, New York
What do you think of when you hear New York City?
How about Brooklyn?
The visual I used to get was two different pictures. Skyscrapers and lights for NYC and dingy, run down building for Brooklyn. Well, my visual is now forever changed thanks to Abilene. The picture that is in my head of those two places have been added to after getting to watch Grant prepare for, drive in to, and see both places for the first time.
“Why?!” as he shook his head. A mountain man isn’t necessarily thrilled and definitely doesn’t understand the big city life. Oh my goodness! He was constantly shaking his head…. “Why?!” With all the beautiful country, open beautiful country we have, why here?! It is hard to put into words what I got to experience and witness, but let me just say the giggles will remain with me for a very long time over his reaction every step of the way!
Not all was in wonderment, it was neat to see him get to see the Statue of Liberty, even though it was quite a distance away. Even the skyline of Manhattan was pretty, across the water. However, I think it will take some convincing and time before he willingly will go for an actual visit! So many people, so many buildings, all on top of each other. “Why?!”…all with a shaking head.
Oh and it gets better….at least for me! So another driver tells him that we absolutely should walk to the corner coffee and bagel shop while we are there. Oh, thank you Joe Bauer!! We actually walked the streets of Brooklyn!! Grant was a tad nervous…I told him that we just have to act like we belong and no one will see us as a target! Ya, that lasted all of three steps! It was me….I couldn’t contain my giddiness and was bubbling all over the place. We walked the nearly two blocks to the corner and into the corner coffee shop. Oh, it gets better…it was a very much vegan and organic environment. Even more a foreign place for Grant to be, but yet he ordered a coffee and a bagel. The girl behind the counter was an absolute sweetheart. With her thick hair in all braids down to her waist with multiple colors throughout added to the feeling of being in a different kind of place. She was great and giggled right along with me over Grant’s bewilderment of the entire adventure. Yes, of course, he was still shaking his head and even asked her “why?!” She entertained his question and even gave great explanations. As we were waiting for our order, we were entertaining ourselves by looking around. Typical coffee shop with books and a small selection of unique items for purchase. The giggles continued when Grant pointed out their chalkboard advertising the options for coffee and such. At the bottom they had drawn a picture and had the caption “Help control global warming, eat more plants”. Oh yes, there goes Grant’s head just a shaking!! Receiving our order and the thanks for visiting, we headed back to the truck, all without incident! We both agreed, yum on the coffee!!
The giggles didn’t end there for me, of course neither did the whys for Grant. Now we are traveling the narrow, very crowded streets of Brooklyn with a 53’ trailer. Bless his heart, he was very giving. Which doesn’t typically surprise me, but in this case it sorta did. Of all times you should be a little more take than give, it would be this. Driving in a city such as this pretty much requires a take mentality…especially when you need to make turns and you are nearly 70 feet long. It didn’t take long for me to convince him that they will move and they won’t think much of it. Watch everyone…it’s how they roll. Of course he survived and did just fine with his first trip to Brooklyn. As we were leaving, driving past the Bronx, he just kept asking “why?!” Oh what a great adventure for me!!
