Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "the-bronx"

Poor New York. Better yet, poor old New York City.
It just keeps getting dumped on.
First Ted Cruz calls The Donald out on his "New York Values." Then a blizzard dumps a few inches of snow on the place.
Talk about a rough couple of weeks.
Please don't get me wrong. Please don't stop reading in disgust. This is not a political commentary. Frankly I couldn't care less about Cruz and I'm hardly a fan of The Trumpster -- or whatever he is calling himself these days.
I am a proud child of the New York City suburbs and an admitted New York City snob. I make no apologies for either. Frankly there is nothing for which to apologize.
Are you offended yet? If so. Too bad. That's your decision. I have no control over your reactions.
The truth of the matter is that I hold a dual citizenship and I am fairly well traveled. I've been all over western Europe and I've been to Australia more times than I can count. I also lived in Virginia for nearly nine years and have seen a good chunk of the United States -- at least the East Coast.
As far as I am concerned New York City is the single greatest city on the face of the planet. Full stop. Period. End of discussion.
That's not to say it's perfect. It's hot and humid in the summer and freezing in the winter. It is dirty, gritty and overcrowded. There's nothing quite like the smell of the subway in mid-July or the sight of garbage bags spilling onto the sidewalks on the weekends.
It is ridiculously expensive.
It can be dangerous... and if you're not careful, it will swallow you whole and then spit you out. It is not a place for the weak or timid.
It is a place where stars are born and dreams die.
The people are... egotistical, brash and perhaps a bit gruff, to put it mildly. But the singular quest for survival in America's biggest and toughest concrete jungle leaves little time for pleasantries among each other much less polite chitchat with tourists. We'll happily take their money, though.
And yet beneath the surface, in a place few seldom see, lies a collective heart of gold. New Yorkers are generous. They are kind. They are loyal. When the proverbial chips are down, they put their own needs and differences aside to help each other out. That got lots of press when it happened after 9/11 and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. It happens all over the City everyday, but for the most part it goes unnoticed then.
It happened when my car broke down in the middle of The Bronx a few years ago. I was driving home from Virginia with my cat along for the ride. Much to my disgust, the alternator went kaput and I was stranded.
As I called 911 in a panic, several people stopped to offer assistance. They helped get my car to the shoulder and offered to call 911 themselves. Some asked if I was OK, and offered to call a tow truck. Some offered to keep me company until it arrived.
In one way or another, they all had my back -- and it didn't come as a surprise.
Until next time, "That's life..."