On a hot summer morning, a young bride and her enthusiastic husband wait in an old Honda Accord. They are right at the mouth of the Lincoln Tunnel to cross into the big apple, New York City. The hurtling traffic was annoying as usual but on the radio, FM 103 was a relief. Renowned guitarist Jimmy Page and famous drummer John Bonham both jamming On Tie-Dyeing, the beats making it impossible for Robert Plant to add vocals. The sensational work of the bassist John Paul Jones was the only thread in The Song Remains The Same that kept the rhythm of Led Zeppelin intact. The young couple was enjoying the tripping tunes and psychedelic throbs shaking their heads while tapping their fingers on the steering wheel and glove apartment. NYC is noisy and chaotic but the inside of the car is louder and crazier. In the midst of it all, their young hearts care for nothing but being together. As long as they were stuck together, they didn’t mind the traffic jams of the Big Apple. As they snailed out of the tunnel, a crowd of skyscrapers welcomed them. The awe of American architecture filled them with anticipation. The narrow streets gestured them to open their country hearts to the city.
She is an innocent beauty and he is mischievously young. With the knowledge of NYC being a dream tourist destination in their hearts, they embrace for it. Tourists flock from all over the world and Times Square is the pivotal point. From the top of the Empire State Building to the banks of Hudson River, visitors reign this city predominantly. The couple leaves the car in a parking lot and begin to float with the stream of the sightseers. Though they were in the crowd, they were only with each other, exploring it all together. A jungle of concrete, steel, glass, height, and people - all representing the twentieth-century lifestyle. The travelers’ backpacks, jeans, joggers, cameras, and shades were in complete contrast with the suits, skirts, office bags, and eyeglasses of the locals.
The people with rude expressions walking briskly and impatiently crisscrossing the crowd were New Yorkers. The polite people moving leisurely were the outsiders. Some were in a hurry and others were at ease. So, is life in the rest of the country. In cities, the clock controls people and in the countryside, they have plenty of time. Life in cities is a race and in the county, it is a calm walk.
New York City and all other urban centers run on a speed rush, hustle-bustle, and currency. This island city is connected with the outer world from under and over the water. Many modes of transportation like seaports, tunnels, roads, bridges, airports, railways, and chairlifts assist commuters 24/7. Herds of pedestrians, bicycles, horse carts, cycle rickshaws, paragliding, jet skiing, boats, ships, helicopters, planes are at work to entertain the city. Golf courses, stadiums, tennis, and squash courts are also at their service round the year. NYC nightlife is one of its own. Top jazz and blues bands perform here regularly. No rocker is a star till he gets applauds from New Yorkers.
The young couple was only interested in spending a day together with a practical lunch and window shopping. Happiness and love are not the enterprises of the rich. Although the couple’s pockets were thin, they were thick in endearment. It is a time of struggle for them. They knew about ‘Lutece’, a renowned French restaurant of the hour. Yet their budget has its own limitations. A hot dog and New York-style pizza will suffice at times like these. Today they will settle only on that.
Credits
YouTube
By
Ahsan Jamil
Golfer, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Author, Poet, Wanderer, photographer
Email: Golfaij@gmail.com
Website: Golfaij.com
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