Come on People Now, Smile on Your Brother!

I travelled deep into the heart of Harlem to visit the Public Library this morning. Arriving 20 minutes before the doors were to open, I sat patiently on the bus stop bench outside reading my book and waiting for the opportunity to go inside. While sitting there, a few Spanish tourists came by and asked the tall, black woman seated next to me for directions to Central Park. I quietly listened as she asked what part of the park they wanted to visit so that she could give them more complete directions. Speaking little English, the two women passed their tour book to her with the page opened to a map of the park. They pointed somewhere in the middle area that was shaded bright green; the rest of the page was filled with Spanish text.

She immediately confirmed that she could read Spanish--thank goodness! She looked at the map and began to tell them to walk over one block to 5th Avenue and instructed them further to take a downtown bus, which would give them a straight path to the Park. I continued to listen . . .

It was finally when she began mixing "Spanish" into her directions that I intervened. She had accidentally told them that we were on Siete. . . we were actually on 6th (Seis). She continued by telling them that they needed to walk to Seis street and to take the Uno bus. I kindly put my hand on her arm and said, "Well, actually, it's Cinco Ave they want." I turned to her and said, "Yes, you're right; they should take the 1 bus that follows 5th Ave." Turning to the two women, I said, "You want to walk to Cinco Ave and take Uno Bus."

She turned to me and said, "Oh, now you want to say something. Why didn't you talk before now? You know, we have to work together. We have to help each other now." She was of course referring to our new president-elect's speech this week directing us to work together as neighbors and to bring hope back to our country.

I couldn't agree more. We have to work together! And, I was so glad to share this small moment with this woman today, my fellow New Yorker, my fellow Obama supporter--my fellow citizen for change!