Bananation

Why I changed my impression of the flamboyant city, New York?




I love New York. That was then.

New York sucks! That was after I visited.

I could try falling in love with New York again. This is now.

The grass is always greener on the other side. Nothing manifests this statement better than my visit to New York last summer. Before my trip, I have always loved New York. Any person my age who speaks English will want to walk on the land of fashionable people alongside its iconic landmarks, and experience its boisterous and liberal night entertainment. These attractions may have made New York popular on the world map, but I rate the likeability of a city as a package.

When my friends asked me how was New York upon my return to Singapore, I said the same things to everybody: airport and subway staff are rude, people on the street are not that friendly either, subyway stations are dirty and not air-conditioned and suprisingly, streets on Times Square smell like piss. In a nutshell, New York sucks.

However, I improve my impression of the city recently. New York has these two ordinary folks to thank for:



Mr Westley Autrey, 50, a construction worker who risked his life to save a stranger from an approaching train.
NYTimes article: Construction Worker One Day, Subway Hero the Next
This report moves me to tears. It's a good bedtime story if you have kids.



Mr Osman Chowdhury, a taxi driver who returned a bag of 31 diamond rings left behind on his cab.
Time artice: NYC CAbbie Finds and Returns Gems

I don't think I will have the bravery of Mr Autrey, but I will definitely have the honesty of Mr Chowdhury. These two incidents teach us that Samaritans are not somebody; they are just anybody who has a considerate heart.

Let's hope for more such selfless acts around the world.