So I was walking home from work tonight and it was cold and rainy. Not a down pour or anything, but enough that anyone without an umbrella would be soaked by the time they got home. I was listening to my iPod as usual, holding up my umbrella and carrying a fairly heavy item home from work in a brown paper bag. It was struggling to keep a hold of everything and the rain started eating away at the heavy bag. Eventually the handle snapped and my stuff fell into a puddle. Not exaggerating... directly into the puddle. I picked up the stuff and lugged it under my left arm, all while using the umbrella to keep me as dry as possible.
Then something happened... The streets got oddly quiet, almost as if there were not buses or taxis around... the first piano key notes of Alicia Keys' No One starting coming through my head phones. I walked a good 3 blocks down 8th avenue... hearing only the music in my ears. A big, goofy smile came across my face and I instantly felt happy. Even though I was tired and wet and cold I was so very happy to live in New York City at that very moment.
The view from under my umbrella
I made a quick stop for some shopping (hey, it's Friday) and when I left the store Sheryl Crow's Soak Up The Sun started playing. How can you not be happy when that song is on? The lyrics were such a stark contrast to the reality around me. Again, I smiled.
On 23rd street a pretty girl with no umbrella was walking towards me. Suddenly, her shoe came flying off and skidding down the sidewalk towards me. I stuck my foot out to stop it, flipped it over right-side-up and spun it around so she could put it on without her foot getting wet. She smiled and said, "thank you!" and I smiled back and said, "good luck!" and continued on my way home.
I got my 45 on so I can rock on...
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