I’m about to change my blog to “the adventures of Maximo” – babies are like little mini Christopher Colombus’ — only cooler. Ohhhh to only hear the stories I recap from his point of view – I wonder what he’d say?
Probably just “my mom is a $&%^$&$# lunatic dont mess with her.” End of story.
Take this weeks adventure for example –
Now I don’t consider myself high maintenance by any means – well, maybe a little I mean I AM female. But, I just don’t know how people got around before GPS, cell phones, maps or cars. NYC is a cluster f*&% of zig zags, cabs and lethal bike riders all just waiting to take you out or steal your money. For the tourist, this is a dangerous arena, but for the average New Yorker, it’s a rather daily entertaining experience. This is until I decided to take Maximo in the stroller – an the subway.
It was the day of our Lamaze reunion (can you believe it’s been 3 months already?) so I thought it would be a nice day to spend in the city with fellow Lamaze classmate and mom Jessica. I needed a few things for Maximo and said we should hit up Buy Buy Baby prior to class. Excellent idea!
Now, Jessica and I both parked and met up on 60th street next to Roosevelt Hospital. However, BBB is on 25th. I said…should I drive? Jess said nah – let’s take the subway! Of course! Why wouldn’t we?! We were New Yorkers and seen strollers on the subway before. (I pause here to mention a while back while preggo I wrote a post on how moms carry their strollers up and down subway stairs and no one helps them…..)
So of course first we stopped for Starbucks and to map it out. You see- only a FEW of the subway stations are “handicap accessible” meaning they have elevators and doors you can open to pass through not just turnstiles. Because trust me, you don’t want to get off a stop and then realize you can’t even fit through the rotating turnstile. I’ve had this issue before with just shopping bags let alone a massive stroller!
So back to the map! We were at 60th and BBB is at 25th. The 23rd street station is NOT handicap accessible so we would have to get off at 34th street – Penn Station. Yes – the busiest station in NYC and still 10 blocks away from our destination. Ok we can do this – we marched out into the cold, coffee in hand and……… What’s that? Is that a big yellow sign that says out of order?!
F&*($#&$# serious? How do we get down there?
We pondered for a minute. Ok we could help each other but that would mean leaving one baby alone at the top of the steps. No good.
What if we took them apart and carried baby in one hand, stroller in the other? Fuck – the coffee. I’m not wasting a $6 latte. No good.
Maybe if we just stand here long enough someone will help? No good.
The bus? We had less than two hours and its 445. Traffic would take hours. No good.
Sigh, as we walked away admitting defeat, it appeared – another elevator in front of Trump Towers! Ok let’s do this.
Now we’re underground but we need subway passes. Only two machines are working so we wait in line. I’m punching numbers in to get mine when I look over and see Jess running a dude over with her stroller shoving herself in front f him. “Hello I was here first! I know it’s hard to see me with my massive stroller and all!”
Great- now were off to the turn stalls. Another line to wait for the attendant to let us through. Did someone else serious just jump in front of us again while I was swiping my card? I’m starting to sweat.
Finally!!!!
Crap. More stairs down to the 1 train? F&$*#($&# serious?!
Jess shrieks as she spots another elevator and we literally sprint for it. Now I’m really sweating.
Finally on the platform. Where’s the damn 1 train?!?! The A train arrives- lets just take it it goes pretty much the se place! Ok – Jess is getting on and her wheel gets stuck! “HURRRRRRY!” I scream as I am picturing her getting on and me waiting outside as the doors shut and she is whisked off somewhere in NYC my cell phone can’t reach underground. But -phew- we made it! Victory!!! No kidding either – look at these stats of getting ‘stuck in the door’ provided by the Gothamist.
I breathe a sigh of relief and we laugh a little. Then I look out the window as we pull into the next stop. I just blankly stare at the 72nd street sign glaring back at me and tap Jess on the shoulder. Yep. Wrong way. My New Yorker card should be revoked right now. I quickly look at the map and freak out a little when I realize the next station with an elevator isn’t till 125th street – the Heights. That’s like 10 stops away.
We can’t just get off at the next stop because we would again face stairs at the very least to cross over to the downtown platform. WTF do we do?!
Just then the man sitting across from us chimes in “you girls seem lost. I have some time till I have to pick up my daughter so ill get off with you at the next stop and help you carry your strollers.” Did I just hear correctly?! Is there really still chivalry and it’s found 10 feet below NYC?!
We don’t even hesitate to ponder the question and were scrambling off at 81st street before one of us gets stuck on the train. Thanks to our subway savior Stephen though, he held the door open to make sure that didn’t happen.
And there we were – us, our babies, and our subway savior all clamoring back up the steps and into the rainy cold streets of New York – coffee still in hand!
With a look of exhaustion, I gained enough strength to say thank you just as he was walking away. Jess and I just looked at each other, wearily laughed it off – and started the 20 block walk back to the hospital.
We had accomplished nothing but a great story. And discovering that yes – good people still do exist in the world – even in a hard city like NYC. I hope Maximo reads this and grows up to be the man Stephen was that day. (Little Michael too!)
** All images are reenactments since in the moment, the last thing I was thinking about was snapping photos.
** This story is made possible by our subway Savior, Stephen Beede – THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR KINDNESS FOR STRANGERS!!!!!!
