General Board

Very nice.

Posted By: Barbi (24.188.96.205)
Date: Saturday, 7 December 2002, at 12:29 p.m.

In Response To: A beautiful Noonan this week. Have you read it? (Tina)

I went into the city yesterday to meet up with a couple of cousins who are here with six friends, all visiting New York for the first time. I have to admit I was a bit cranky during the day. Can you imagine the logistics of getting nine people around in Manhattan?

I was just tagging along with them until they promptly got separated on our first adventure of the day. When I turned to my cousin and said "What's your plan if you get separated?" she looked at me blankly and said, "We don't have one." ::sigh:: Okie dokie. Then, for some reason, the remaining five seemed to think splitting up and looking for the first three was a good idea. I decided it was time to provide some leadership. I tell ya my cowboyin' skills came in handy then... I just rounded them up and headed them toward the hotel where, eventually, the others returned.

Fortunately one decided to stay at the hotel for the evening so that helped immensely. Because it was cold and the fact that it was a friday not ONE of the bazillion cabs were available. I've honestly NEVER had such a difficult time getting a cab. I finally got one by racing down the street when I saw one pull over to drop passengers a block away. I still don't know how I managed to get to it first.

One lady in the group is unable to walk too far so fortunately I got the one cab. We sent her and three others to 59th and 5th Ave, Central Park South, and told them to wait in front of the Plaza, and the rest of us walked. I fretted the entire way that we wouldn't meet up with them, the others had the faith of small town people that it's no big deal to just meet someone on a corner.

The ladies had all dreamed of taking a buggy ride through Central Park. I thought it was a bit silly at 27 degrees to be honest. For crying out loud they're all originally from South Dakota and have HAD buggy rides...what's the big deal? I mean, this is MANHATTAN, there are museums and fine restaurants and magnificent stores with Christmas displays!

So there we are a half hour later, chilled from the walk, the others chilled from standing in the cold and waiting. They weren't on the corner I'd told them to be on, but then, I hadn't expected them to be. At least we found them.

We began to walk down the row of cabbies, all offering to take us for a ride. One guy caught my interest, he was outgoing and fun, and we arranged for two buggies for our 8 people.

I have to admit it was breathtaking. Shawn, our driver, thick with the brogue of County Cork pointed out the sites once I asked him to. He added a unique flavor that made it even more special.

The park was so beautiful, The hum of traffic receded and the hush of snow covered rocks and hills settled upon us. We could hear the skaters on the ice rink laughing and calling out. The lights lit the park so beautifully, giving the snow that shimmering look. The buildings looked so romantic, like houses in fairy tale land, and the statues looked even more majestic with snow piled on the shoulders of the characters, and the necks and rumps of the horses. Instead of being cold and annoying it was relaxing and satisfying.

I'm so very happy they dreamed of that ride in Central Park.

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