A Taste of NYC Subway at Night

As night fell, New York City expanded with light. It was amazing to witness the magical process. The skyscrapers put on the most gorgeous garments made of neon lights, one after another. Streets dancing with the headlights of enormous numbers of cars cut the city into delicate pieces.

Standing on the 86^th floor of the Empire State Building, I felt that I was the owner of the world. The astonishing night view of New York City completely convinced me that it was the most prosperous city in the world.

I couldn’t get enough of the splendid view. However, in order to catch the subway to get back to the hotel, we had to leave.

Before I went to New York City, some of my friends warned me that the underground railway system did not match the city. I had prepared myself for a subway station that was not as luxurious as the lobby of the Empire State Building. I thought I was silly when I finally got into the station.

As I walked down the stairs, I was assaulted with the unpleasant smell of sweat and oil. The dirt and grime on the dark floor was noticeable in the pale light. My stomach churned and I couldn’t help frowning.

I could hear the noise made by the crowds in Times Square. I still felt dizzy because of the dazzling billboards I had seen on the bustling streets. I was enchanted by the grand view of the whole city. But the scene right before me told me that I had entered into a totally different world.

After ten minutes’ wait, the train finally came. I have never waited more than 5 minutes for a subway in Shanghai. Thank God the train was air-conditioned. I was almost burning in the station.

There were not a lot of people in the train because it was eleven at night. Everyone was minding their own business. The guy who sat beside me immersed himself in an attractive detective novel. Sometimes he took a deep breath as if there was thrilling plot. The man in rags sat across me was taking a nap. His duffel bags blocked the passage. It was impossible for me to tell the original color of the duffel bags due to the stains and grease on them. At one station, a slim young man and a plump woman got on the train together. Holding a bunch of fresh pink roses, the man seemed a little bit nervous and hesitated to put his arms around the woman’s shoulder. Tonight might be their first date, I guessed. They sat in silence for a while. Then the man whispered something to the woman which made her blush just like the pink roses in her date's hand. The only bright and lively thing in the train was that bunch of roses.

“Here is 96^th Street, we will get off at the next stop.” My friend reminded me.

I grabbed my backpack, got ready to rush to the hotel and fall on my bed. A muffled voice came from the loudspeaker. But I was too exhausted to hear the words clearly.

The train slowed down and was approaching 103^rd Street where I was supposed to get off. I stood up and moved to the door. It was strange that no one other than my friends and I seemed to leave at this stop.

Seeing the board which read “103^rd Street”, I was about to walk out. However, the train did not stop!

“Are you kidding me?” one of my friends yelled out.

Everyone on the train was calm except us. It must be a normal pattern. But we did not know it as new comers. No one told us about that. Oh, wait, I tried to recall the broadcast and vaguely remembered the words that “the train won’t stop at the next five stations”. My friends and I looked at each other, but no way out. We sat back on the seat, down in the dumps. Because of the whole day’s walking in the NYC, we barely had enough strength to complain.

Time passed with incredible slowness. After passing 5 stations and exhausted of all my patience, the train stopped at 161^st street, which was remote and bleak. We had no choice but to walk to the other side of the station to take the subway back.

This station was extremely small and dirty. There were few people waiting for the subway. The blower kept generating sizzling wind and a rumbling noise. The passage was so narrow that I was afraid of falling down into the tracks. No one talked. I squatted down against the wall, looking into the distance. Propping my head up on one elbow, I was waiting for a train which seemed like it would never come.

I had never guessed that my day in NYC would end up this way. If I could, I’d like to have the memory that my glorious and magical day ended up on the 86^th floor of the Empire State Building, letting the cool night wind blow my cheeks, burying myself in the magnificent NYC night.