As you may have noticed, there are a lot of people in New York City. For some personality types this is overwhelming, but for others it offers a sort of strange comfort. Personally, I love being surrounded by people that I have no obligation to talk to or interact with in any way. The ability to totally ignore anyone who is giving you unwanted attention is not rude, it’s a valuable life skill—is this man just looking for conversation, or is he trying to get close enough to bite me? Who knows! Welcome to New York!
That being said, sometimes in the middle of your usual head-down-music-up power-walk to your destination, something or someone catches your eye. You want to steal a closer look, but a wave of less-interesting pedestrians washes over the sidewalk and blocks you. “Those polka dots!” you think. “That would make a great Art of Style post this week!”
You quicken your pace, hoping to catch up with your target, who is weaving through the crowd like some kind of slippery, fashionable eel. The waves part—a miracle! Moses would be proud! For a brief second there she is, approaching the crosswalk. You take a mental snapshot of colored dots fluttering below a leather jacket, salt-and-pepper socks bunching above black ankle boots. Wait, are they legwarmers? But the “walk” sign flashes, the human flood resumes, and she disappears from your sight. The mystery will remain unsolved.
