A Snapshot of NY Living

I work in midtown Manhattan, right by Bryant Park, and my subway lets me out about a block and a half from my destination. But what a block and a half it is!

First, there's a migrant worker dressed as a chicken passing out coupons to Ranch 1 on the corner. This chicken has been out all week and each day looks increasingly defeated. The strangest part about the chicken is that he's out at 9am. Who on earth is craving cutlets first thing in the morning? Maybe that's why he's having problems getting rid of his stash of coupons.

Once your mind starts reeling over the chicken, you can instantly find solace in the local sidewalk preacher. She LOOOOOVES her some Jesus. She also seems to love plastic fetuses in all stages of gestation. Maybe she thinks they're her congregation. I learned all about Easter from the sidewalk preacher, and now she's moved on to general Jesus good-deedery. But never a mention of the fetuses. Not even an informative sign.

There are also a startling number of amputees on my block. They are all missing a leg. If I was missing a leg, I'd totally rock a Heather Mills and have many legs with varying toe-pointedness so I can wear all kinds of cute shoes. And I'd also have a peg-leg. A traditional wooden peg-leg would be awesome. I'd probably rock a Heather Mills for the peg-leg too and involve all different shellacs.

The last highlight of my walk is the sassy, topical homeless man. I have a strong suspicion that he's not actually homeless because I only see him occasionally - usually when some glaring NY Post headline dominates an entire week of news. Por exemplo, this gem of a sign: "I only need $4300 to get a girl like Spitzer."

Oh Times Square. You are filled with thousands of tourists each day, but what they don't know is that the best sightseeing in Manhattan happens in the meager stretch from Broadway to 6th Avenue on 42nd Street.