“They come for a piece of the pie, their impossible dream.”
Each year, thousands of people move to New York City.
Youths in America have a desire to live in New York. They travel fresh out of high school and college, seeking something, sometimes anything different and more challenging than what they have in their small towns. Many are artists, dancers, musicians, actors, and singers. Others come for education, or in search of a career in finance or journalism. They come for a piece of the pie, also known as their impossible dream.
Earlier this week, I was heading back home from 14th Street and Eighth Avenue on the 1 train. I am always surprised at the subway crowd during mid-day rather than rush hour. The riders are more diverse, and I usually spot someone or something to inspire me. Somewhere in Midtown, either at 34th Street or 42nd Street, a young, bright-eyed gentleman boarded the train with a huge suitcase. He struggled with his oversized bag, but he managed and sat next to me. He had bright blond hair, peered though round-rimmed glasses, and looked to be in his twenties.
He was obviously coming to New York for an extended stay.
Perhaps he was moving indefinitely––at least it appeared that way based on the size of his luggage. He was dressed like he came from a cooler climate or perhaps he was dressed to compensate for the chilly air on a plane. It was a humid day in Manhattan and not the best weather for blue jeans and a long-sleeved plaid shirt.
This guy seemed like a fish out of water, but yet he belonged at the same time. Was this his first visit? I wanted to talk to him; ask him if he needed directions. I know how confusing the trains in New York can be, especially to newcomers.
Then I glanced down and saw a piece of 8.5 X 11 looseleaf paper in his hand. He was staring at it, and soon, so was I. It read, “Elton’s apartment—502 West 122nd Street between Amsterdam and Broadway,” and a phone number. He had a destination, and luckily he was riding the correct train.
My imagination immediately took over.
Was he in Manhattan to stay in someone’s tiny walk-up apartment to make a go of it in the big city?
Maybe he was a musician and going for classes at the Manhattan School of Music? Or perhaps he was planning to attend Columbia University? Whatever the reason, it really didn’t matter at that point. It brought back memories for me.
Remembering when I packed a suitcase about the same size to start my life in New York in the 1980s, I returned home the next day completely devastated due to the filthy apartment where I couldn’t stay. My dream had fallen apart. I was hoping that his outcome would be better than mine.
This blond-haired gent heading to Elton’s apartment is no different from me, or anyone else who makes the move to New York City. All of us are looking for “something” that will not only fulfill us, but define us, and create the life we envision.
Tomorrow, another newcomer will arrive in New York and ride the same train, and the next day, another.
They will sublet small, cluttered apartments in dilapidated buildings with little cash in their pockets, and roam around the city in awe, staring at the metal-filled sky. They may fit in, or they may not. They might recognize the endless possibilities, or never discover what New York City has to offer.
I realized that this young man going to Elton’s apartment was just one of thousands who come to this city like I did so many years ago, and again in 2007, in search of that something.
I wonder how long he will stay, and if he will find it. Just the same way I wonder how long I will stay, and if I will find it.
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