The old saw is that you're not a New Yorker until you've lived in the city for ten years. My anniversary passed last November 1st, while I was on a train from Naples to Venice.
The most obvious change is my impatience with the slow moving people on the subway platforms in the morning. Jesus, why can't some people move? Thank God I don't drive.
But last week I received the strongest symbol of my new persona. I had an anxiety dream about not being able to get a cab when I needed one.
It's official. I am now a New Yorker.
4 comments:
Hey, John-
I love that you're a New Yorker. I've been keeping my eye on my anniversary date, too....I'm waiting to be able to say that I'm a "Jersey Girl" (hey! smartass readers: this is MY comment....keep YOUR comments to yourself, thank you very much :^) which I will define as having lived here longer than I lived in PA.....the tradeoff is that that will also mean I'm (gulp) officially middle-aged...
Hey Molly! I haven't heard from you in a while! How are you? Email me.
Some comments on your comments: I had a friend who had "Jersey Girl" tatooed on her arm. Will you do the same? Is it a law in Jersey?
I was surprised when I realized, while living in my last apartment, that it was the longest I had lived in one place (apartment or house as opposed to city) since I left my parents' to go to college.
Middle-aged? Given that most of the members of my father's family did not make it to 70, I was middle-aged in my mid-thirties.
Let me know next time you're in the vicinity...
John, re: being middle-aged-thank you for shaking me out of my denial....! You're like a human snooze button of reality :^) Will email you soon, and yes, let's get together to celebrate your being an 'official' New Yorker-it's always good to have the 'off the beaten track' perspective.
I don't mean to quibble but I think you are mainly looking at the Lowery side of the family. A few of the Hanlons made it past 70...have you forgotten that your great Aunt Mary lived to be over 90? (Proving once again that only the good die young.)
Mom
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