Last time I rode the NY subway was in 1996 I believe. I'd taken my youngest son to the city to see Shaquille O'Neil play his last game against the Knicks as a member of the Orlando Magic. We got there the day before and I wanted to take the ferry out to Ellis Island, which is where my father, his two brothers, and their parents arrived in 1913. We got on the train, and didn't get very far when the train broke down, and we all had to get off. We just walked the rest of the way.
I worked in NY State Corrections, and there were a few times when I, and another officer would have to take an inmate down to the City, either for a court hearing, or for a funeral visit. We'd usually go down the evening before, and drop the inmate off at Sing-Sing or the Brooklyn House of Detention for an overnight stay, then pick him back up the next morning. What a zoo. When I made Sergeant, that wasn't part of my duties anymore. You couldn't pay me enough now to go to NY City these days.
I was in New York City last year to see Phantom before it closed. Made the decision to go for a weekday matinee. Took Amtrak to Moynihan train hall and ended up walking to the theater and took a cab back. I hadn’t been to New York in probably 10 years, so I figured, might as well go to Times Square since it’s not that far from Broadway.
It was not as I remembered. Sure, in the past, you had street performers. They were still there, but practically demanded you buy one of their CDs by your face and signing it.