Published: June 04, 2008 01:56 pm            

VALLEY: I love New York

“Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today, I want to be a part of it, New York, New York ...”

There I was sitting in Yankee Stadium listening to Frank Sinatra belt out the Bronx Bombers’ signature game-ending song. I had just witnessed the New York Yankees come-from-behind victory over the Seattle Mariners on a sunny, 73 degree afternoon — sitting alongside my wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. What else could a man ask for? Cracker Jacks, a stadium hot dog and a beverage, you say? Had that, too!

That was the scenario at the end of a terrific four-day, three-night weekend that started out with me as a hesitant and cynical participant — reluctant to make the trip. An incomparable memory almost lost.

It all started from the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport on an early flight. After sitting in the aisle-seat for awhile, I asked my wife if she’d mind trading places with me so that I could sit next to the window (I was like a kid not wanting to miss the view). And she agreed, never losing focus from her magazine.

After re-settling in, I remarked to the Mrs., “I know I’m not a worldly traveler, but doesn’t it seem like were flying awfully low?”

“There’s a reason for that” she explained.

“And that is ...?”

“We haven’t taken off, yet!”

Upon our arrival at JFK, we took a service van to our hotel in Manhattan — we were staying at the Hilton. After checking in, an employee brought our luggage up to us and showed us the intricacies of our room. In other words, he hung around and babbled the obvious — waiting to be tipped.

“This is the window and if you pull back the drapes you can see Central Park. And that dark spot in Central Park is a pond,” he explained.

Earth shattering revelations.

“Over here,” he continued, “is the refrigerator and hidden in the closet is your safe.”

“That’s wonderful! Got change for a dollar?” I asked, wanting to tip him and send him on his way. My wife gave me a look that suggested I was being cheap and so, I acquiesced, gave him the the whole dollar and off he went (For some reason, my wife’s “look” didn’t change).

“A safe?” I said aloud — as the words resonated in my head. “That puts the thought of someone breaking into our room. I don’t like that possibility. And what have we got that’s so valuable?”

Our first destination after checking in was only a few blocks away. We walked to Central Park. The sun was shining, it was warm and despite my cynicism, I found that most of the people were genuinely friendly. We decided to take a hansom cab (that’s with a horse and carriage) through the park. Because there were seven of us, it necessitated two carriages. My wife, my granddaughter, Emma, and I rode in one while my son Paul, his wife, Jeanne, and the other two kids, Jack and Owen, shared the second.

At the end of the trip, my son asked if our guide had pointed out where Simon and Garfunkel had their “Concert in the Park.” And if we saw where Bobby Fischer used to sit and play chess.

I explained that our driver said very little — but, as God is my witness, he did say: “That’s a pond over there.” Hadn’t I heard something like that before?

I’ll tell you more about the trip in a future column. But let me add, before I end this one, how we finished the first day. When we got back to the hotel room we were tired and, as usual, I was little hungry. I looked at the room-service menu to see if there was something appealing. The turkey-club sandwich stood out amongst the choices. However, it was TWENTY-FOUR DOLLARS! Twenty-four dollars for a sandwich — and I was hungry enough to eat only a half of one.

It dawned on me then, why the safe was there: It was to put the other half of the sandwich in.

That’s part one of the way it looks from the Valley (in New York City).

Tom Valley is a Medina resident. His column appears every Thursday. Write to Tvalley@rochester.rr.com.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.