The Bicyclist

I gazed up at the Empire State Building from a few blocks away. The building was illuminated with red, white, and blue, in celebration of Veterans Day. Tall buildings fill me with wonder, and this one arguably more so than others. The Empire State Building was constructed in approximately 400 days; wonderful, in the traditional sense of the word.

I was standing at the corner of a street. The traffic lights changed colour, halting traffic in one direction. A man riding a bicycle stopped. I heard "you know there is a website where you can learn what the colours mean?" or something of that ilk. I put my phone down, having taken the photo I wanted, and said hello. The man went on to explain how I could find said website. I did wonder why the colours were different every day.

We got talking while he waited for the traffic light to change colours. He told me he was a writer. He had written a few pieces for the New York Times. I said I, too, was a writer. He told me how I could find his work, but the city was too loud for me. I couldn't hear all of the words. Moments later, the traffic lights changed colour. We exchanged a goodbye. I felt joy at the serendipity of the moment. Our conversation started with my taking a photo of a building; suddenly, the city seemed friendlier. No matter how busy New York may be, there are delightful people in the bustle.

Friends asked if I had met any celebrities on my trip. Instead, I choose to think "did anything wonderful happen on my trip?" The brief exchange I had with the bicylist on the street corner was one of those interactions.