A couple of New York City stories

1. Stereotypical though it may be, our drycleaner/tailor here on the Upper West Side is Korean. I stopped in the other day to tell the couple who own and run the shop about our recent trip to Korea (oh, and also to have a dress altered). We chatted in Korea and English and I enjoyed discussing my visit to their homeland with them.

Before I left, the woman asked me for a favor. She had a problem with a customer’s jacket and she was initially unable to successfully explain the situation to the customer. After telling me the story in a mix of Korean and English, I ascertained what she needed to convey to her customer. I wrote down a few sentences in English that she hopefully will use to effectively communicate with her customer. I hope I was helpful. I was thrilled to be able to use my Korean to help a small business owner.

2. Only in New York City is a doorman paternal... I neglected to check the weather report (am I really my mother’s daughter?!) before dressing for school on Friday morning. I’m apparently in denial that summer is over as I put on capri pants, open-toe shoes, and a short-sleeved shirt to wear to school on Friday (Sept. 11).

When I entered our building lobby and saw that it was raining outside, I paused. Should I go back up to our apartment on the tenth floor to grab an umbrella?

As I stood in the lobby contemplating the time it would take me to ride the elevator up and back down, the doorman said to me, “You can’t wear that today.” “What?!” I asked, shocked that my doorman was offering unsolicited fashion advice. “At least change your shoes,” he continued, “it’s cold and rainy today.” Then I realized that the doorman was looking out for me, dressed for 75 degrees and sunny but confronted with 50 degrees and rainy. “Thanks,” I said, appreciative of the concern, “but I’ll be fine.”

And I was chilly all day at school. Maybe next time I'll accept the doorman's dressing advice.