And back again...

Much like a Doctor's appointment, a second opinion can be useful. I now have a different view of NYC than several days ago. I like the place. In fact I absolutely love the dynamics of this city. Here is an island several miles long by one wide and yet with each ascending subway staircase your eyes gaze on new surroundings. That there are many different neighborhoods from the very nice Upper East side to the not so nice Washington Heights, and then where the bell rings down at Wall Street. Where walking down 5th Ave. it wouldn't be a surpise to see a celebrity (I saw John Mayer giving a free show and somewhere in Timesquare saw a film crew.) Not your daily happenings in the other cities that dot the US.

But back to the idea of living there. Not yet, not right now in my life. I wouldn't mind being there with a good group of friends or perhaps even a spouse (long away here), but something else will be needed. Moolah (who says that anymore), I'm going to need more than an entry level advertising salary.

It was Thursday night and I am sitting across from the son of the COO of Cintas. Listening to his parents' new 14,000 sq. foot home and having college courses with Natalie Portman his growing up differs from mine. Stories like those just don't happen in Detroit and College Station. After a nice (i.e. expensive) dinner we headed to his girlfriend's apartment on the Upper West Side where upon the roof views of George Washington Bridge and some of that famous NYC skyline were lit up under a dark sky. I fell in love again with this city. I'll be back in a couple weeks for another date with her. Another interview.

After a train ride it was back on the road to Detroit. I decided I would take the longer route and see Niagra Falls. I got there at night and luckily they shine spot lights on it. I would have been dissappointed if all it came down was me hearing it's roar. Back on the road I was deteremined to make it to Detroit. 1 AM rolls around and Detroit is bumped out for a hotel. One didn't appear for 30 minutes. A frightful thirty minutes as I was truly struggling to keep my eyes open. Then we add the fact that its raining, my windshield has streaks, and now I'm not a happy camper. Then there's those signs in kilometers. I was missing America. But I found a place to stay and dropped a decent amount of money. I needed sleep and it was wonderful.

On the road these last few weeks I've seen amazing sights. I wish I could have shared them with others. I wish that gas stops would be comedy breaks where we try on funny sunglasses and hats. That when a guy without a shirt on and has a mullet for a haircut drives by that it isn't just a solitary smile on my face, but laughter that goes on for hours and a memory that is created. I wish that instead of me singing to songs or analyzing the lyrics that stories would be exchanged. Learning of other's pasts and their hopeful futures. I'm sure I will have more such drives in the future. A friend in the seat next to me would be better any day over the CD case.