Urine-Free Friday

I moved to Morningside Heights today, and I thought I’d have time to get settled in then post to the blog, which was to be a round up of author and ex-grad student Rob Wilder’s thoughts on getting an MFA. That was the plan, then the day intervened and here I am, postless and pooped.

Plus, I was rereading my notes from the interview and see that Rob had a lot to say – a good thing – so I may run it in two or three parts next week instead of trying to cram it into one giant post today.

Before I collapse on the couch with a movie, let me just say that you know you have a good van driver when he rescues your box of clothing from a looming stream of urine. I was hauling boxes from the building to the curb and a woman let her dog pee right next to the van. As the liquid made its way across the sidewalk toward my belongings the driver leaped in and moved it just in time. Why the seemingly bored woman couldn’t be bothered to move Rover twelve inches to the left, I don’t know. The dog looked relieved, though, so there’s that.

The driver and I had to time chat as we made our way up the Westside Highway, and I learned that he moved from Pakistan to New York 16 years ago. His family is still there, but he has a house in Queens where he lives by himself in the basement apartment “because I’m alone. New York is a city of people living alone.” He said this very matter-of-factly, with no trace of bitterness.

He was quite open about his finances, telling me he rents out the first and second floors, and after paying expenses and the $1,100 mortgage (he bought the house in 1996 for $210k with $50k down – I told you, he was open), he nets $2,000 a month and gets a nice home. He said he loves living here. “America means freedom. Here, you can do anything you want.”

Needless to say, he made up for Dog Urine Lady ten times over, and gave me one more reason to love this city. Someone once said that New York is the best and worst of everything, and today I think that’s exactly right.