After record-breaking storms visiting all those regions surrounding us, New York finally got a sizable one this winter.
The District of Columbia needs to learn the spirit from the Big Apple: this city never sleeps, not even at 1AM in a freaking storm. Armies of workers managed the streets with plows, blowers, and shovels of all sizes. The fact that snow might’ve accumulated faster than they could clean did not discourage them… or maybe they just didn’t have a choice, like me working till 12:30AM with a pair of bad hands.
Cabbies also didn’t sleep, although they sure changed the rules a bit. The first few that were neither occupied nor off duty asked for my destination before letting me open the door – and simply drove away once hearing Queens. I didn’t blame them – if snow could accumulate up to 0.5″ around Times Square, it must be devastatingly trecherous outside Manhattan. Licensed drivers wouldn’t want to risk their own lives… but those unlicensed town cars were a different story. One of them willingly let me on to his car and offered to take me home – for an outrageous $100 in cash. He explained that the ride would take at least 90-100 minutes due to the road condition. At that point, I opened the door and got out. A second unlicensed town car offered the same ride for $60. What a bargain! I didn’t take it.
Hungry for some Halal meat? Look it’s open!
Back to Queens. Thought this looked like sand dunes in a desert:
“Winter Wonderland”?
Still snowing 12 hours later:
Ice breaker:
Another army of snow busters. I don’t know if these are, but a good majority of NYC’s labor workers are illegal immigrants. We as a country are highly critical of the illegals… but without them, we’d be stuck!
