Big Apple: The Mecca of Commercialism

I went to NYC last evening to meet a very dear friend of mine, who was visiting from out of town. So I take the train in the afternoon and was planning to nap. Anyway I was rudely awakened by this gaggle of girls (calm down language-nazis or English majors I do know that it is a bevy of girls) talking nineteen to a dozen about the most inane things. They weren’t sitting anywhere close to me. They were at the other end of the car! Of course I abandon my plan to nap and eavesdrop. I am entertained till they get off at Newark Airport station. I must say the trials and tribulations of teenage life in America! In case you are curious, they used “like” in every sentence. I started counting and then lost count of it…totally.

Anyway I get off at Penn Station and I am overwhelmed by the shoppers pouring in and out of Macys, Lord and Taylor and all the other stores nearby. This reminded me of the Hindu pilgrims at the Kumbha Mela and Triveni Sangam. To my non-Indian readers, you can read about Triveni Sangam here and Kumbha Mela here. I was right after all they were all retail pilgrims paying homage by cash or plastic in the commercial Mecca of the country.


Time Square: Of course I took this photo during the summer. There is no way I would have gone there last evening.

The entire area was a sea of human beings. It felt like “Amchi Mumbai” (our Mumbai in Marathi), except that no one pushed the other and the weather was quite chilly. The desi in me, rather the pseudo chai latte drinking desi who would rather have chai-valle ki chai (ubiquitous tea vendors in India), was craving for a hot cup of chai latte. I walk into a Starbucks and I am surprised at the line, which went right up to the street. I open the door for an elderly lady to do some “Mitzvah” and people mistake me for a doorman or rather a doorperson because a bunch of teenagers walk in and people start walking in and out totally oblivious to me. Finally a gentleman sees my predicament and runs to my rescue and holds the door for me so I can get in! There are two long lines and I am curious what the other line was for. I found out that it was to go to the ladies room. Anyway I was in no mood to negotiate the long line, to get my chai and not go to the rest room silly people, so I decide against it. I start walking to the place that I was supposed to meet my friend.

While walking I am accosted by this street vendor. He asks me if I wanted a Louis Vuitton or a Fendi bag. I look straight ahead and say no thank you. He then says you are beautiful….can I take you on a date? I say no thank you and start walking faster. Of course he leaves me alone. I wasn’t in any danger or anything but still I call my husband and tell him what just transpired. My husband says that I should have given the guy 20 bucks and said here first go buy yourself a decent meal and then think of asking me out. We both have a good laugh. Trust him to bring humor into any situation!

Later I caught up with my friend who told me that there was a mad rush to see the Christmas tree and decorations at Rockefeller Center. Anyway the rest of my evening was wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. By the way I hate the burbs and love the City with renewed vigor!