I remember talking and walking with an old friend on New York City’s spring streets. I went to NYC for a break from work and met up with an old friend who lived there. New York City was full of spring air. Everyone seemed to be dusting off winter’s gray air, slightly joyous and steady in anticipation of warmer days. We walked on the streets starting in Chelsea. After 10 blocks, we decided to take the subway and ended up in Time Square. We were catching up after just a few years of not seeing each other. My friend had just moved to New York City, right in Manhattan, two years prior to my visit. He told me about his life in the Big Apple. He had only been living there for two years and already knew the city well, like a real New Yorker. He showed me cool places to eat and cheap places to shop. Life was not easy for my friend at that time. He had moved to New York for a new life. It took him two months to find a job. While he was unemployed, he had a lot of time to sit down and think about his life and what he wanted to do. When we met that day, he was getting back on the right track. He was near the end of paying off his student loan. He had just gotten promoted at work. If the Big Apple had done anything to him, it was apparent now. He had matured, and now he seemed even wiser than before. He was more calm and thoughtful. Needless to say, we had a very nice night out. I can still remember vividly what we had talked about and the NYC air. His story gave me courage while I was down at that time.
