The Fall

So walking to work allows me to have all sorts of interesting things I would miss crammed into a subway or taxi (who am I kidding I can’t afford that daily) but yes, it’s great (until the dead of summer). Winter I don’t mind because snow is so new to me. Everyone else hates it so I have to pretend to hate it too. “oh yeah this weather blows, who wants to see beautiful snow everywhere? I don’t.”

   Anyways.

As I walked out my front door on Mott Street heading to Mulberry, I see no more than 4 steps out my door, an old Asian lady eating corn on the cob and walking nonchalantly.  Its 8:15 mind you, in the morning. Beside the oddity of the time, she was holding it so far inside her mouth I had thought it might have been a Popsicle. She then finished it and threw it at my feet. Definitely corn on the cob.

I honestly thought that would be the weirdest interaction I had this morning. Nope. As I walked along Mulberry, about to cross onto Prince Street, a girl passes by me.  There is nothing particular striking about her, she is like any other girl in Soho, well dressed and pretty.  We obviously don’t acknowledge each other. We are all in our own bubbles.

As she walks across me to go left and I go straight, I see her feet fly out from under her. Her left arm flairs up by my left arm and I reach out and hook my arm with hers.  She didn't even turn to face me but clutches me and regains her balance. She then whips around, wide eyed and scared. Her eyes are very blue and very wide as she says “thank you so much” and I nod, break eye contact and keep walking. Not because I don’t want to say something but it happened so quickly and I acted on instinct, it barely stopped by stride. Her face stayed with me all day, I wasn't sure why.  Maybe because I don't normally grab at strangers  or they don't sincerely thank me often from saving them from a hard fall? 

I came to the conclusion it's because the bubble can be broken. No one ever suspects it to break and when it does, human interaction that is often so impersonal here, is shocking. People walk around with headphones on, cell phones pressed to their ear, just ignoring each other. When people look at one another, really look, its always surprising. Most people look right past one another.