Onward to Victory

I leaped to avoid the armies of plaid shirts and khaki pants wrapped around young aspiring businessmen as they power-walked into the spicy smelling restaurant behind me. And what did I get for my evasive efforts? Instead of the delicious smell of basil fried rice and drunken noodles, I choked on a cloud of hot cotton disguised as stuffy summer heat.

I pushed my feet and together we avoided human traffic. I took lopsided notes about the weather, and my orange notebook and I purposefully wandered under the few blissful trees of shade and salvation. The heat was a tease melting me on the sidewalk and I stepped up to the curb impatiently waiting for that little white man to glow.

When he decided it was safe, I lunged across that New York City street where hammers were hammering, and keys were jingling, and cars were humming. I thought that if my nose had been physically able to smell anything in that heat, it would probably have been the smell of garbage.

The 25th street plaza was now before me and untouchable groups of people gathered on both sides. They commanded their spaces with the ease of familiarity and comfort as they seemingly spoke to everyone around them, and I was left alone and vulnerable as a one woman crew setting off to the library. I did attempt strutting, but a busy street of busier people was no place for a catwalk.

Inside the library was a breeze that hit my knees disproportionately, and further beyond that deceptive cool was a battlefield. As legions of Baruchians waited for the elevators to hopefully take us to nice, shiny empty computers in the lab, there was an undeniable sense that this was war and the four polished metal doorways were all possibilities of victory. At the ding, there was no hesitation. I catapulted into the open elevator, and with a mild slam, I was instantly backed to the wall.

Perhaps those around me were talking quite loudly in their brains, but no mouths actually moved and it was Awkward Silence who lead us to the 6th floor. I half sprinted victoriously to a plush, empty chair that beckoned me as it invitingly faced in my direction, and finally, I made it.