Brief Encounters

New York is such a large city that one is always surprised how quickly it can seem so small. Coming home from work on the subway yesterday I was reflecting on how quiet it was - the final days of August, those who can be on vacation are. The city and mass transportation reflect this absence - less delays, available seats when typically there would be none.
It will all change next week, after Labor Day - summer shares will end, everyone will return to work and school, a buzz will return to the city that has been mostly absent since around the Fourth of July.

Still, as my train pulled into the Wall Street station, slowing, slowing, slowing, stopping -- I find myself face-to-face with a former colleague that I hadn't seen in years, he preparing to board the train as I exit.
We exchange a few words of recognition and he reminds me that the old office had recently relocated down near my home - so time to anticipate additional run-ins with former colleagues from this office.
As he boarded the train I turned toward the exit, only to come upon a friend whom I hadn't seen in many months but whom I had just posted a Happy Birthday message to that very same day on his FB Wall. He had clearly begun celebrating his big day, indicating that the partying would be continuing soon further north in the more gay-associated neighborhood of Chelsea.
And just like that, the city seemed small and alive again.