A few months back I was on the 6 train heading for Brooklyn. I got on at City Hall and it was cloudy out. Lower Manhattan was shrouded in a thick fog and I snapped a few photos of old street lamps and buildings blanketed in white. It was really beautiful to see nature edit out the sharpness of the architecture leaving a feeling of soft serenity. A soft breath in a chaotic city.
I got on the train and within a few moments a young man sitting across from me pointed under my seat.
"Is that yours?" he asked.
I picked up the plastic card holder with a women's college ID card, two credit cards and a few business cards.
"No. That was really nice of you to notice this and ask me. I wonder when this person got off the train." I showed him the photo ID.
"She just got off the train before you got on."
As I rode the train to Brooklyn I tried to figure out ways to contact her. Later, I googled her, found her on Facebook and Linkedin. I private messaged her letting her know that I had her ID. I called her credit card company to let them know I had her belongings. She had already cancelled her cards.
A week later she contacted me through Facebook and thanked me for efforts to contact her. She asked me for coffee the next week. We never met, but it felt good to try.
Love it Liz. Lived through it. I have no focus lately -- so because it was shorter, I was able to follow and live every word. I know what you mean when nature covers manmade city stuff...the chaos becomes quiet for a moment. Never thought of it that way. The nice gesture on the subway -- how that feels. The effort to make a meeting that never happens. I like the reminders of all the things I know so well -- but never really notice. I love your writing. I love you -- and hey, I am gone for a week -- but let's have lunch after :-) It will be a meeting that comes to fruition. :-)
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