Each morning, I get on the L Train at 14th street and 1st Ave. It’s a short but nice walk for me through Tompkins Square Park and up Avenue A and across to 1st near Stuyvesant Town. I put in my (now deceased) pair of Skullcandy headphones that I received from Skullcandy back in the day, and I just cruise along to whatever band has captured my attention. Depending on the time that I get there, I am either greeted with my fellow early morning New Yorkers or I’m part of the huddled masses that are making their morning commute. It’s not my ideal form of transportation (and I take taxis often), but it works and isn’t that bad.
What makes it even better are the people that I’m huddled with. I don’t know if it’s simply the amount of people on the train or the fact that I live in an attractive neighborhood but not a day goes by without me becoming infatuated with a fellow passenger on the train. I’ve written notes so that I can remember the details for often-unpublished forays into the Craigslist “Missed Connections” section. It’s the full-fledged fantasy voyage for someone like me – a outgoing people watcher who pines for the chance encounter with love.
The funny thing, I realize that the train ride is superficial and just a fantasy. Sure, I can see a beautiful girl and look at her flawless skin, cute fashion sense, and intelligent yet not pretentious book choice and think “wow, I would like her” but in reality, I don’t know anything about her. In accordance to “Sketch Theory” (Post on that coming soon), I create a full personality filling the gaps with the things I want in a person. She’s no longer the person sitting on the L across from me – she’s a fantasy. She’s something that, in all likelihood, could never exist. Perhaps should never exist. As I embark headstrong into the 30th year of my life, I am starting to realize that all the fantasies and desires of my twenties are not the ideal to be chasing. With all the complexities of human relationships, the seeking of perfection is as much of an albatross to successful relationships as the literal one the mariner carried around his neck.
In New York, the fantasy surrounds you daily. Even right now, I am sitting in a coffee shop in the East Village surrounded by beauty of all shapes and sizes. I see the laugh of the coffee shop barista and smile – imagining that in different, potentially intimate scenarios. As I exited my taxi the other day, a tall, striking brunette with a British accent that I had never seen before asked if I was her neighbor. That short interaction made me pine for a longer conversation – a fantasy one. Fantasy bombards people daily – it’s the allure of the city. My friends that suffer from Peter Pan syndrome and never grow up are seduced by such things. Perhaps I may too – only a few months into this rediscovery of New York and I can’t help but fall in love daily. I just need to remind myself that it’s all fantasy…..
**FTC Disclaimer: I did receive a free pair of Skullcandy Headphones back before you started targeting bloggers. I once had someone pay my fare to get on the L Train – not sure if it was a MTA employee, but I’m just trying to cover my tracks. I live in New York and pay city taxes, so I guess I have a financial relationship with the city although I’m pretty sure that it’s the city that should post a disclosure since I am pretty awesome and make the city better by living here. Craigslist lets me post missed connections for free. It’s a nice perk but I’m starting to think that Craig gets around because everyone else seems to be able to do it. I generally like Blondes over Brunettes, but recently a Brunette bought me dinner so I’m going to say that may influence my recent crush on this brunette neighbor that may or may not have been my real neighbor. Also not sure if the brunette that bought me dinner is part of the brunette’s union or if such a thing really exists. I’m pretty sure that discloses everything, but if I missed anything – just let me know. Kthnxbai**
