“I’m as calm as a fruit Stand in New York and maybe as strange.”
My friend San and I have long debated the meaning of that line from Ryan Adams’ 2000 Song, ‘Damn, Sam (I love a woman that rains).’ I have been in New York for nearly two months now and I still can’t walk past a fruit stand without that line coming to mind. However, it is another line of the song that I have sung with more passion over the past few weeks of high temperatures, unbelievable humidity and sweaty subway rides;
“As a man I ain’t never been much for sunny days,”
I haven’t. I like to wear a coat – more pockets. I also don’t like to see other people being happy, especially in New York. I want to see some local attitude, maybe someone shouting, “I’m walking here!” As someone who’s miserable all year round, whatever the weather, I prefer to see depressed people struggling with unruly umbrellas on wet Tuesday evenings than smiling couples in outdoor cafes drinking cappuccinos. It also feels like my year here has started in earnest and the holiday period is over now that the winter seems to be on its way. This hit home yesterday as I overheard a suit shouting to a couple of tourists blocking the subway exit before pushing past them, “some of us aren’t here on vacation kids!” Now that’s more like it!
My friend San and I have long debated the meaning of that line from Ryan Adams’ 2000 Song, ‘Damn, Sam (I love a woman that rains).’ I have been in New York for nearly two months now and I still can’t walk past a fruit stand without that line coming to mind. However, it is another line of the song that I have sung with more passion over the past few weeks of high temperatures, unbelievable humidity and sweaty subway rides;
“As a man I ain’t never been much for sunny days,”
I haven’t. I like to wear a coat – more pockets. I also don’t like to see other people being happy, especially in New York. I want to see some local attitude, maybe someone shouting, “I’m walking here!” As someone who’s miserable all year round, whatever the weather, I prefer to see depressed people struggling with unruly umbrellas on wet Tuesday evenings than smiling couples in outdoor cafes drinking cappuccinos. It also feels like my year here has started in earnest and the holiday period is over now that the winter seems to be on its way. This hit home yesterday as I overheard a suit shouting to a couple of tourists blocking the subway exit before pushing past them, “some of us aren’t here on vacation kids!” Now that’s more like it!
1 comment:
Ha ha! Great man. Welcome back to the blogsphere - you never left that special place in my heart. In fact, I think I'm coming over in the New Year, so we can be a smiling, cappuccino-sipping couple. Bye!
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