Hey eveybody!
How are you doing? Tonight something pretty awesome happened, so brace yourselves. This story is too good to not include the details, and as you probably know, it's pretty much impossible for me to tell a story without the details. Enjoy!
So today took a lot out of me for a number of reasons. I was feeling pretty worn out at the end of the day. Jorge was out sick from work, so I didn't have a ride home and had to take the bus. I wasn't too upset, because for some crazy reason I was feeling like I had kind of missed taking the bus home at night.
I sat down on the bench at the bus stop, and after a few minutes an older man with an Old Navy bag sat down on the bench next to me. He did not seem to be too old, but his back was arched in a kind of hunched way that made him appear older. He took out a gift from his bag, red and white with pink ribbons. I took a few glances and saw that he was using his keys to curl the ribbons. Pretty soon, I started to think that this would be a perfect opportunity to strike up some conversation with a stranger and I planned on asking him if that was for his Valentine. However, just before I was ready to ask, he put the gift back in the bag and walked over to the street to see if the bus was coming.
At this point, I was bummed because I felt like i had missed my conversation opportunity, but as the man looked for the bus, he turned back to me and said, "The bus should've come by now. Shouldn't it have? You must have been waiting here for a while"
I had been waiting about 10 minutes and told him so, then I said, "If they just got this bus schedule working better it would get more people off the roads."
He seemed to think this was a brilliant comment and told me how right I was. I went on to make a comment about how amazed I was when I found out that the subway was only about 15 years old. We began to talk about Los Angeles public transportation, and the man then told me that he was actually from New York and lived there his whole life. I immediately realized he had been speaking with a strong New York accent. He told me that in New York everyone takes the Subway because it's such a crowded city. (I obviously knew these things, but I got a kick out of the way he made sure to explain, so I went with it.)
He said, "Well I'll tell you a story. It's about a man in New York who's been dead for a long time now, but he was a very very wealthy man. Head of a Company on Wall Street. If I told you his name you'd know him, but I won't use his name. I was fortunate enough to meet him when I was younger, but his wife told me this story." As he said this, the bus (the 212) pulled up and I stood up. He asked if I was taking this bus and I told him I was and he said he would continue the story on the bus.
We got on, and I sat in one of the open seats near the front where we could sit with each other. He sat down next to me and began to continue the story. He told me, "Now Manhattan is an Island surrounded by water" (again I went with it) "and this man lived Uptown but of course worked downtown on Wall Street. He had many chauffeurs who would drive him around the city in fancy cars at different times. Well, the chauffeur who drove him downtown to work every morning would pick him up at his building, and drive him to the nearby subway station. This Executive would leave his briefcase in the car, but would take his New York Times and Wall Street Journal and ride the subway downtown because it was so much faster. And his chauffeur would drive his briefcase to the office every morning, so he wouldn't have to worry about carrying it and such. This was all because the subway just got him downtown so much quicker."
I got a kick out of hearing this story and I told him, "I'm actually originally from Pittsburgh, I go to school in Cincinnati, and I'm out here on an internship. But I've been to New York a few times and found the subway to be very efficient and even fun."
When I had said Pittsburgh, his eyes opened wide and he told me he was amazed because when he was a boy he actually lived in Pittsburgh for a few years. He told me he grew up in an outer-borough of New York with great parents, but he had humble beginnings and was very lucky to achieve success in his life. He said he was born in 1943 or '44 (I don't remember exactly) and when he was 9 years old in about 1952 or so his father took a job in Pittsburgh and his family lived there until his was about 13.
He asked what part of Pittsburgh I lived in and I told him the North Hills. When I said this, his jaw just about hit the floor, and he said, "I lived in the North Hills." I asked him if he remembered any of the details about where it was, but he couldn't really remember anything besides describing the apartment building. Then he said, "Babcock Boulevard, that just came into my head. Is there a Babcock Boulevard? I remember that for some reason." I was excited and told him I had actually lived just 5 minutes from Babcock Boulevard at one point in my life.
He went on to tell me he has a nephew who lives in Cincinnati who is doing very well for himself and who he calls often to tell him how proud of him he is.
The man asked me what my internship was and I told him I was a design student working at an advertising agency in Hollywood. I told him I've been here for a month and had two more to go. He was very impressed and excited for me and he asked what kind of design I did. "Fashion design, industrial design?" he asked. I told him I was in more graphic design and advertising for the internet. I also explained I am hoping to get an internship in New York in the future.
He told me that my internship sounded like a great opportunity and he was thrilled for me, and that he could tell I was really enjoying myself and that it was good that I still had more time to be here and enjoy the city.
He told me he wished me the best. Unfortunately he was getting off at Wilshire and his stop was coming up, so I asked him what his name was. He told me, "Stan," and I told him my name as we shook hands.
Stan told me he could tell from talking to me that I was a very good person and we both told each other how much of a great pleasure it was talking. As the bus stopped, he told me again, "Well, Alex, I really wish you the best in everything." And I told him the same and we said goodbye. I got up and moved further back in the bus, knowing now that there was a reason I took the bus this Friday night.
Stan was the first person I've had a real long conversation with on the bus. I was enjoying every second we were talking. I needed a bit of a pick-me-up tonight, and man, did I ever find one. 64 year-old Stan made my night, my day, my week, maybe the quarter. It was the most significant interaction I've had with anyone out here.
I believe sometimes God just wants to remind you he's there and tell you how much he loves you. Well, tonight, I'm definitely feeling that he's done that through meeting and talking with Stan.
Now I don't claim that from now on I'll be striking up conversation with everyone I meet on the bus, but I can tell you that I will now be more likely to ask that first question or say that first "Good morning," should the opportunity arise. The world is full of amazing people who all have very unique, amazing life stories, and God is in all of them, whether they know it or not. I look forward to hopefully learning about a few more of my fellow bus riders.
I wish Stan and I had more time to talk, as we could've talked for much longer. Maybe we'll meet again. Probably not. Regardless, my conversation with a stranger came right when I needed it most, and taught me a lot in a mere 15 minutes.
Just yesterday I happened to skim an article on CNN or somewhere where a self-proclaimed grump went on a search to find the Happiest places on Earth. He found that the richest countries like Qatar were far from the happiest. He found it to be relationships and interactions between people that truly bring happiness.
I'm definitely feeling that tonight, and I'm reminded how thankful I am for you!
I know it's cheesy and all, but I am.
I hope you all have great weekends! I know many of you are at Key Laborer's right now, and I'm very bummed that I can't be there with all of you. I know you're having a blast.
I'm planning on touring Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood tomorrow morning then going to the Zoo in the afternoon. It should be a lot of fun!
Regardless of where you are and what you're doing, have a great weekend. Take it easy and enjoy life!
much love,
How are you doing? Tonight something pretty awesome happened, so brace yourselves. This story is too good to not include the details, and as you probably know, it's pretty much impossible for me to tell a story without the details. Enjoy!
So today took a lot out of me for a number of reasons. I was feeling pretty worn out at the end of the day. Jorge was out sick from work, so I didn't have a ride home and had to take the bus. I wasn't too upset, because for some crazy reason I was feeling like I had kind of missed taking the bus home at night.
I sat down on the bench at the bus stop, and after a few minutes an older man with an Old Navy bag sat down on the bench next to me. He did not seem to be too old, but his back was arched in a kind of hunched way that made him appear older. He took out a gift from his bag, red and white with pink ribbons. I took a few glances and saw that he was using his keys to curl the ribbons. Pretty soon, I started to think that this would be a perfect opportunity to strike up some conversation with a stranger and I planned on asking him if that was for his Valentine. However, just before I was ready to ask, he put the gift back in the bag and walked over to the street to see if the bus was coming.
At this point, I was bummed because I felt like i had missed my conversation opportunity, but as the man looked for the bus, he turned back to me and said, "The bus should've come by now. Shouldn't it have? You must have been waiting here for a while"
I had been waiting about 10 minutes and told him so, then I said, "If they just got this bus schedule working better it would get more people off the roads."
He seemed to think this was a brilliant comment and told me how right I was. I went on to make a comment about how amazed I was when I found out that the subway was only about 15 years old. We began to talk about Los Angeles public transportation, and the man then told me that he was actually from New York and lived there his whole life. I immediately realized he had been speaking with a strong New York accent. He told me that in New York everyone takes the Subway because it's such a crowded city. (I obviously knew these things, but I got a kick out of the way he made sure to explain, so I went with it.)
He said, "Well I'll tell you a story. It's about a man in New York who's been dead for a long time now, but he was a very very wealthy man. Head of a Company on Wall Street. If I told you his name you'd know him, but I won't use his name. I was fortunate enough to meet him when I was younger, but his wife told me this story." As he said this, the bus (the 212) pulled up and I stood up. He asked if I was taking this bus and I told him I was and he said he would continue the story on the bus.
We got on, and I sat in one of the open seats near the front where we could sit with each other. He sat down next to me and began to continue the story. He told me, "Now Manhattan is an Island surrounded by water" (again I went with it) "and this man lived Uptown but of course worked downtown on Wall Street. He had many chauffeurs who would drive him around the city in fancy cars at different times. Well, the chauffeur who drove him downtown to work every morning would pick him up at his building, and drive him to the nearby subway station. This Executive would leave his briefcase in the car, but would take his New York Times and Wall Street Journal and ride the subway downtown because it was so much faster. And his chauffeur would drive his briefcase to the office every morning, so he wouldn't have to worry about carrying it and such. This was all because the subway just got him downtown so much quicker."
I got a kick out of hearing this story and I told him, "I'm actually originally from Pittsburgh, I go to school in Cincinnati, and I'm out here on an internship. But I've been to New York a few times and found the subway to be very efficient and even fun."
When I had said Pittsburgh, his eyes opened wide and he told me he was amazed because when he was a boy he actually lived in Pittsburgh for a few years. He told me he grew up in an outer-borough of New York with great parents, but he had humble beginnings and was very lucky to achieve success in his life. He said he was born in 1943 or '44 (I don't remember exactly) and when he was 9 years old in about 1952 or so his father took a job in Pittsburgh and his family lived there until his was about 13.
He asked what part of Pittsburgh I lived in and I told him the North Hills. When I said this, his jaw just about hit the floor, and he said, "I lived in the North Hills." I asked him if he remembered any of the details about where it was, but he couldn't really remember anything besides describing the apartment building. Then he said, "Babcock Boulevard, that just came into my head. Is there a Babcock Boulevard? I remember that for some reason." I was excited and told him I had actually lived just 5 minutes from Babcock Boulevard at one point in my life.
He went on to tell me he has a nephew who lives in Cincinnati who is doing very well for himself and who he calls often to tell him how proud of him he is.
The man asked me what my internship was and I told him I was a design student working at an advertising agency in Hollywood. I told him I've been here for a month and had two more to go. He was very impressed and excited for me and he asked what kind of design I did. "Fashion design, industrial design?" he asked. I told him I was in more graphic design and advertising for the internet. I also explained I am hoping to get an internship in New York in the future.
He told me that my internship sounded like a great opportunity and he was thrilled for me, and that he could tell I was really enjoying myself and that it was good that I still had more time to be here and enjoy the city.
He told me he wished me the best. Unfortunately he was getting off at Wilshire and his stop was coming up, so I asked him what his name was. He told me, "Stan," and I told him my name as we shook hands.
Stan told me he could tell from talking to me that I was a very good person and we both told each other how much of a great pleasure it was talking. As the bus stopped, he told me again, "Well, Alex, I really wish you the best in everything." And I told him the same and we said goodbye. I got up and moved further back in the bus, knowing now that there was a reason I took the bus this Friday night.
Stan was the first person I've had a real long conversation with on the bus. I was enjoying every second we were talking. I needed a bit of a pick-me-up tonight, and man, did I ever find one. 64 year-old Stan made my night, my day, my week, maybe the quarter. It was the most significant interaction I've had with anyone out here.
I believe sometimes God just wants to remind you he's there and tell you how much he loves you. Well, tonight, I'm definitely feeling that he's done that through meeting and talking with Stan.
Now I don't claim that from now on I'll be striking up conversation with everyone I meet on the bus, but I can tell you that I will now be more likely to ask that first question or say that first "Good morning," should the opportunity arise. The world is full of amazing people who all have very unique, amazing life stories, and God is in all of them, whether they know it or not. I look forward to hopefully learning about a few more of my fellow bus riders.
I wish Stan and I had more time to talk, as we could've talked for much longer. Maybe we'll meet again. Probably not. Regardless, my conversation with a stranger came right when I needed it most, and taught me a lot in a mere 15 minutes.
Just yesterday I happened to skim an article on CNN or somewhere where a self-proclaimed grump went on a search to find the Happiest places on Earth. He found that the richest countries like Qatar were far from the happiest. He found it to be relationships and interactions between people that truly bring happiness.
I'm definitely feeling that tonight, and I'm reminded how thankful I am for you!
I know it's cheesy and all, but I am.
I hope you all have great weekends! I know many of you are at Key Laborer's right now, and I'm very bummed that I can't be there with all of you. I know you're having a blast.
I'm planning on touring Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood tomorrow morning then going to the Zoo in the afternoon. It should be a lot of fun!
Regardless of where you are and what you're doing, have a great weekend. Take it easy and enjoy life!
much love,
Alex
1 comment:
fantastic post. the subways are good most of the time, but they have their moments.
keep talking to strangers.
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