Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 384

"I met her when she was visiting New York for two-and-a-half...

"I met her when she was visiting New York for two-and-a-half weeks. Let’s just say ‘two weeks,’ to make it a little more exciting. So we spent a lot of time together, and the night before she left to go back to the Philippines, she asked me if I was serious about our relationship. And I said ‘I don’t know.’ Then I went home and laid awake all night. Her flight left at 9 AM. So at 4 AM, I texted her to wait for me outside of security. Then I got into a cab and rushed to the airport. I got there just in time. And before she went inside, I told her: ‘I am serious. We will be together.’ Now Brandon, I need you to make this sound very romantic. Choose a picture of me looking into the distance, and for the last line, say: ‘Now I am wondering when we will be together again.’ Because I am going to tag her in this."

"What’s the best piece of advice your dad has ever given...

"What’s the best piece of advice your dad has ever given you?"
"No excuses."

"At this point in my life, I’m trying to figure out the...

"At this point in my life, I’m trying to figure out the things I truly care about."
"What’s something you care about less than you did ten years ago?"
"Being extraordinary."

"I’ve got a meeting in five minutes. We’re trying to...

"I’ve got a meeting in five minutes. We’re trying to change zoning laws to limit the height of buildings on 57th Street. We don’t want shadows in Central Park!"

"My father was a crackhead. My mom was bipolar. It is what it...

"My father was a crackhead. My mom was bipolar. It is what it is."

"I separate and fold the linen.""How’d you get that...

"I separate and fold the linen."
"How’d you get that job?"
"Prayed for it."

"I’ve got to bail my brother out of jail. They said they...

"I’ve got to bail my brother out of jail. They said they wouldn’t have arrested him if he hadn’t eaten the joint."

"My dad died in 9/11. They opened up the museum to families...

"My dad died in 9/11. They opened up the museum to families today, so I went this morning. My plan was to go to work after, but I just couldn’t do it."
"What happened to him?"
"He was a cop. He actually had the day off. But as soon as he heard, he drove into the city and got there just in time for the second tower to fall. A witness said that my dad had started to run when the tower fell, but turned back because a trapped woman was calling to him."
"What do you remember?"
"I was in science class. And my teacher told us that there had been a plane crash. That’s all she said. Then I noticed all these kids around me getting phone calls and text messages, and they’d run out of class. So I knew something big was happening. Soon we got let out of school. On the ride home, I remember thinking that my dad was going to be working overtime on this. I imagined he’d be down there everyday, saving people. ‘I bet I won’t see him for weeks,’ I said."

"It’s hard to be taken seriously when you don’t have...

"It’s hard to be taken seriously when you don’t have connections. And unfortunately, when you don’t have connections, it seems like the only people you can connect with are other people who don’t have connections."

"My mother died of cancer when I was 14.""In what way do you...

"My mother died of cancer when I was 14."
"In what way do you think you’re most similar to her?"
"I’d say sense of humor. She was always playing pranks on my sister and me."
"What’s an example of a prank she pulled?"
"One time she whispered for me to come into the bedroom. Then she turned out all the lights, and strung clear tape all across the door frame. Then she yelled for my sister."