We go through life wishing for things. I mean, isn’t that about all that is happening during our existence? Some wishes come through and the others don’t. Then, we are happy or sad, depending on the outcome.
For a long time I had a wish of being the only person in Times Square.
Why I wished that, was a mystery. Maybe I wanted to feel powerful. Or maybe I wanted to be alone; all alone in a place which is known for its hustle and bustle.
Numerous ticker tape parades went through there. Not to mention all of the New Years celebrations. Other things, too. Constant people, constant action.
What would it be like to be alone at that place. Have the lights on, expect the usual activity, be ready for it, have the stores open, all of it. And then, have just the one person show up. Just the one. Just me. What would that feel like? Maybe, a better question is, why would anyone even think about that; let alone actually wish for it.It probably came out of the sameness and boredom of being an accountant; maybe looking for excitement of doing something people don’t get to do, not often, anyway.
Several years ago, New York City was hit by the polar vortex. Temperatures dipped to −17 °F (−27 °C) or so. I happened to have been spending time in NYC then.
I looked up the definition of polar vortex which is “a whirling mass of very cold air that sits over the North or South Pole.”
As luck would have it (but mostly due to bad planning) I was on a 30 block or so walk down Broadway at approximately 10:30pm. It took me, of course, right through Times Square. I can definitely vouch for the fact that it was extremely cold. Actually, the chill was approaching dangerous levels.
As I approached the square it became evident there was no activity. There were no people. The upper floors of the buildings were enveloped in fog; all that could be seen were the contours of the giants stretching into the Heavens. Their flashing red lights were almost sheepishly warning airplanes passing overhead. To no avail, as there were none; all flights seem to have stopped.
There were other flashing lights at the street level, mostly advertisements, presenting themselves and touting their wares to no one. As if some celestial event disrupted our reality, there was no one there. The sidewalks were empty, deserted. There was some snow whirling in the bitter cold wind.
At that moment, I was the sole representative of our collective world in that place, the only connection to the known Universe, the only person alive. I was present, accounted for, in the midst of those wondrous creations by other humans. They were all gone, disappeared, their voices a distant memory.
I made it through and was gone. The moment ended as I, a few blocks down, saw a taxi. I decided to continue and get to my destination on foot in order to keep the memory going.
My only other wish, during all of this, was that I had been more warmly dressed.
But I survived.
by Mike Djordjevich
Address :
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