A New Year in New York

A New Year in New York

He left Mary in Japan, a week had not given her enough time to explore, so she decided that it would be far more interesting to stay a while longer. ‘Besides,’ she said, ‘New York would be loud and obnoxious, especially on New Year’s Eve.’ At first, Alex thought she was joking, then when he’d exhausted himself trying to convince her to travel with him, angry words were exchanged. Mary was adamant and nothing was going to change her mind. She agreed to meet him in New York in a few days, so he reluctantly boarded a plane and flew to America alone.

He was still angry with Mary as the plane flew over the Statue of Liberty. It had been a tedious flight without her. Unfortunately he had sat next to an over confident large Texan, with a booming voice who had talked nonstop for hours. Feeling a migraine looming, Alex asked the flight attendant for Panadol. He was relieved when the plane landed, and looked forward to a cup of percolated coffee and a bite to eat, before heading to his hotel room. The delay at the airport waiting for the shuttle bus didn’t improve Alex’s temper. By the time Alex reached his hotel, he was travel weary and grumpy, but at least grateful that he had arrived the day before New Year.

 Alex sighed, perhaps Mary had been correct, New York was loud, the kind of in-your-face loud. Frank Sinatra he concluded had been right, the city never slept. Even now, with heavy rain battering the streets, and growling thunder rolling in the swollen sky, the traffic moved at lightning speed. As if it was being chased by some invisible monster.

He was glad that he had explored Manhattan earlier, when it had been relatively calm, and the walk down Forty Second Street, although chilly had been wonderful. A lifelong fantasy that had at last become a reality, topped off with a Broadway Show, something to tell the grandchildren. Now, standing on the pavement and looking up he could see no break in the evening sky, and wondered if he should venture out. His hotel room was only three blocks away from Times Square, but with the amount of water gushing down the gutters, it seemed as if he would have to swim. However, this opportunity would not come again, and determined to see 2021 arrive in style, he moved to the edge of the pavement and hailed a Yellow Cab.

The cab arrived in a screeching halt, spraying sheets of dirty street water in its wake. Alex climbed into the back seat, grateful to be out of the rain. The gum-chewing driver looked into the rearview mirror, ‘Where too Mac?’ Alex could hardly believe that he was sitting in a Yellow Cab right in the heart of New York City. ‘Take me to Times Square, for the countdown.’ As he settled in for the ride, Alex noticed the upholstery; the plush leather seats, the polished wooden dash.

‘Nice cab.’

‘Yeah Mac,’ said the gum chewing driver, ‘it’s a Checker A11 68, hot off the assembly line. It’s your lucky day Mac, you’re the first passenger to have a ride in this beauty.’

The cab driver was as polished as his vehicle, with a smart navy blue uniform and peaked cap. He whistled a tune as he drove. Alex recognized the song, it was a classic Bob Dylan, called Blowing in the wind. A popular old song that Alex recognized from his youth.

 ‘Are you one of those Aussie’s Mac? You speak kinda strange.

‘Yeah, I’m from Sidney.’

‘Well, I’ll be, I got myself a real live Aussie in my cab, you’re a long way from home.’

Alex smiled, ‘It’s been a dream of mine for years to come to New York for New Year and stand in Times Square.’

‘Do you have yourself a New Year resolution? Seems only fitting if you come all this way.’

Alex shook his head, ‘I haven’t even thought about a resolution, but you’re right, I think I’ll promise myself to try and stop arguing with my wife…she always wins in the end.’

‘Hey Mac, don’t I know it. That’s the problem with broads can’t live with em, can’t live without em. Best to shut up and put up, that’s my motto.’

 The sky cracked, shredding the night with blinding white forks, rolling thunder split the heavens in an ear shattering cacophony. Perhaps, this wasn’t such a good idea, he didn’t have an umbrella and the rain was falling so hard, even the windscreen wipers screeched in agony as they worked flat out.

The ominous weather didn’t seem to bother the cab driver; he travelled fast, too fast thought Alex as neon signs flashed past, blurring their kaleidoscope colours into hundreds of fragmented rainbow patterns. Dizzy with this unexpected side-show, Alec was grateful when the ride came to an end. Paying the driver and remembering to give him a generous tip, Alex stepped out.

He was surprised to see that it was dry, as if the storm had forgotten to fall on this area of New York. ‘Funny,’ he thought, ‘only a few seconds ago the streets were drowning with water.’ An enormous crowd had gathered for the countdown, and he was amused to see large groups of people dressed as hippies.

‘Only in America,’ he mused.

As the clock ticked nearer to midnight, there was a sense of growing excitement, an electric current, that forged through the gathered throng, as people drew together to welcome the start of the coming year. Alex threaded his way through the crowd, eager to find a good spot to watch the clock.

Soon the countdown was underway, the noise was defeating, but Alex, becoming one with the jubilant crowd was yelling in the New Year. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…and as he focused on the neon figures illuminating the Times Square clock, Alex froze as he read, Happy New Year 1969.

© Jan Weldon-Veitch 2021