Today's MOSTLY TRUE SHORT STORY: Only in New York

Words and photo by F LoBuono

I had just completed my assignment at the Jacob Javits Center on 35th St. Since it was such a beautiful fall day, I decided to walk back to the Broadcast Center on 57th St. Striding at my usual brisk pace, I had reached 40th St. when I saw her out of the corner of my eye. She was well dressed, attractive, and appeared to be in her 30's. But, what really grabbed my attention was her unusual position: she was squatting on the sidewalk, shielding something with what appeared to be some type of folder.

Of course, this being New York, nothing is truly out of the ordinary. I continued, unaffected, with my sojourn. But, I was curious as to what it was that she was actually doing with that folder. So, as I was passing her, I glanced over my left shoulder to get a closer look. She was using it to protect a small, colorful bird, the likes of which I had never seen. The bird did not seem terribly hurt and, perhaps, had just stunned itself by flying into one of the glass windows of the building it was sitting next to. Whatever the case, the young woman was lending aide to a small, helpless creature in the middle of the Naked City.

What she could ultimately do for that helpless creature, or if it actually survived, I have no way of knowing. And, that's not what's important. What is so is that, in the middle of the insanity that can be New York, one person make the effort to aid another living being.

Yes. Only in New York. Indeed.