As a frequent visitor to this fine city, one would think that I have seen all of the major sites—one can be wrong.
Today, I was fortunate enough to have experienced Bryant Park for the first time. I had seen it on television; reports of New York's Fashion Week in February kept me glued to my TV. But not until today did I personally greet the statue of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (and subsequently read the engraved blurb underneath), smell the resting lawn, and sit on a bench imported from France.
Although I missed the opportunity to see the free Monday night movies, as well as Good Morning America's free Friday concerts, the park was still alive with activity. There were women chit-chatting in all tongues, men sunbathing, and babies laughing; all were sounds of merriment. I walked around slowly and enjoyed the atmosphere, observing everyone's relaxed demeanors. It seemed that the park was a wonderland where busy New Yorkers slowed down to take in their surroundings.
Students, such as 20-year-old Australian native Paul Michael, treasure the peace. "This is my first summer here," said Michael, "and Bryant Park is very 'New York' from the movies I've watched." As Michael sat down to enjoy his coffee, artist Jim Webb nodded a polite "hello." Webb, 42, helped create the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animation and enjoys getting inspired at the park. "It's a nice place in the summer to work and eat," he attested. "I like it when people gather around me to watch me work."
As I made my way towards the other side of the lawn, I noticed bright, spinning lights. Thinking I had inhaled a little too much clean air, I walked closer to make sure I wasn't delirious. A friendly young family walked my way and, behind them, I was reassured of my sanity when I saw "Le Carousel." It was magical; children rode around and waved at exuberant parents with cameras, and I felt a wave of nostalgia.
Les Operateurs du Carousel greeted me with wise smiles. Both Rasheed Shabazz, 70, and Philippine native Elipdio Hermoso, 72, are employed by New York's Department for the Aging, but would enjoy their jobs without compensation. They were in good humor, talked in a refreshingly laid-back tone, and declared that they "love working with children."
Walking out of the park was like entering a different realm; people were once again in a White Rabbit-like hurry, and I woke up from my dream. But I can't wait for the next opportunity I have to journey down the rabbit hole into the fantasy world of Bryant Park; it is one of Angie in New York's things to love.
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