Last night I felt like someone was following me home. I know this sounds alarming but actually I was not at all alarmed at the time (I am only slightly alarmed at myself now as I write this). Bear with me as I explain: If you ride your bike in New York City you know […]
Tag: New York City
Fresh cut
The other day a woman in a coffee shop told me that she liked my hair. I smiled at her but I also smiled to myself because earlier that day I’d been cursing my hair. It’s been falling out, you see, and I’ve been down about it. But–the fact that my hair is falling out […]
No matter how big or how small
Several weeks ago (idk how long but it was snowing out) late on a Sunday night I decided to take a train to a bus to get home. I hadn’t taken that particular route home before so I ended up waiting at a bus stop on a strange, dark corner of Brooklyn in the snow […]
Things I smell while riding my bike
Day: Saturday April 13Time: 5:30am-8amLocation: Ridgewood, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, NolitaWeather: Light rain, heavy rain, drizzle, mist, dry, mistSmells: wet, exhaust, bread, exhaust, shit, warm butter, bacon egg and cheese, sour garbage, weed, coffee, exhaust, sugary croissants, lakes, spring, Southern France, cigarettes, exhaust
Wrangle
I work sometimes for a bike collective. We have several cargo bikes that we use for delivery jobs around the city. Bikes are stored in Greenpoint or the Upper East Side. Or at a garage in South Brooklyn. Or at someone’s house. When someone from the collective uses a bike for work or otherwise we […]
Breadmobile
If you’ve been around New York City it is possible you have eaten some bread that was once on this bike.
Money part 1
I was on my way into a Rite Aid when I saw the woman begging on the sidewalk near the door. Honestly I wouldn’t have stopped except there was a backlog to get into the Rite Aid and while I waited the begging woman started talking to me. Could I get her something to eat? […]
Sweaty hands
A few days ago I was riding my bike in Manhattan and a cyclist pulled up next to me and I was surprised to see two big, insulated caves that he had to reach through to grasp the handlebars. This attached glove situation (also called bar mitts?) is common especially on delivery bikes. But it […]
How to belong
Last week I was walking through the greeting card aisle in my local Rite Aid when a man stopped me and asked me if I spoke Polish. He needed help understanding one of the greeting cards written in English. (I don’t speak Polish.) This happens more than you might think. Or really, what usually happens […]
Performance anxiety
All month there have been upright pianos sitting out in public spaces around New York City. They do this every year, but this was the first year that I got myself together enough to track one down and play it. When I sat down at one for the first time I was very nervous. I […]
Anne Foster 