City Choices

It was a hot and humid day in New York City yesterday and the only people who seemed to mind it were those of us in suit and tie or the feminine equivalent.

The tourists loved it. Shorts and sandals, tee shirts and tank tops, kids in tow or in strollers, sidewalk ices and two cents plain with a pine float. I couldn’t resist that one. New Yorkers will know that two cents plain with a pine float is a glass of water with a toothpick.

I walked several blocks from the subway to where I was going and that was stupid. I finally slung my suit coat over my shoulder and tried to walk in the shade as much as possible. When I left my meeting I hailed a cab to get to the next meeting. I should have done that earlier.

I did have a slight argument/discussion with my young cabbie. He took me the long and more expensive way to my next destination and he became perturbed when I pointed that out to him. I guess I looked like an out-of-towner. I finally told him he didn’t need to do that to make a living and I did tip him, which surprised him.

These are the little lessons the universe offers us on a moment-to-moment basis each day of our lives.

These are lessons of choice. Do I want to be greedy? Do I want to help or just go on my way? Do I want to cheat or be honest? Do I want to be of service? What if I were on the other side of the exchange?

I’ve always liked the definition of service as, “instantaneous response to need.”

New York City or any city for that matter is classroom of choice. Perhaps that’s why so many people choose to live in cities. I’ll be back for more lessons in the near future.