Another Interesting Encounter(s)

So I'm always going on and on about my "whacky New York people" stories. This one actually happened back in the homestead at the Akron/Canton airport. You see, I was flying back to New York after I'd spent the weekend at home for a Disc Jockey gig (although I've abandoned the idea of flying home for a gig everytime I get one since my equipment is Ohio-based, this woman locked me in for the gig back in March). As I got onto the airplane, the flight attendant said, "Hi! How are you?" I replied, "great, and you?" He then said the following, "I'm blessed." That's all. I stood there, bobbed my head up and down awkwardly for a second, and took it in. "I'm blessed!?" What an odd thing to say, I thought. Definitely not the typical greeting you receive as you enter an aircraft. I found myself reflecting upon this for awhile, primarily because I knew that I TOO felt blessed, at that moment and always; he might as well have responded, "I'm jam". I was just having trouble wrapping my head around the idea that this gentlemen could proclaime it with such ease as a response to a greeting (and he did this to everyone; I'd heard him say it to three people behind me as they entered).

Subsequently, I sat down in my seat and somehow began a conversation with the elderly gentlmen sitting next to me. I think the origin of the conversation was my offering him some homemade pecans I was eating. He then proceeded to tell me he would love some, but doesn't eat anything he doesn't completely trust before flying (or being on any mode of long or fairly long-term transportation) because he may have "difficulties" in the "bathroom" or something to that effect; I found myself thinking, "God I love old people; it's like all caution's thrown to the wind when you get to that age and they'll say anything!" His name was Andy Kamen, and he proceeded to tell me everything - literally EVERYTHING - about his life; he was, ironically enough, a Fordham grad, class of '47, worked as a chemist for 42 years, and was visiting his daughter and grandchildren in Rye, NY. His daughter was a lawyer for Morgan & Finnigan on 48th & Park Ave. but's now married to "one of those guys who makes a million dollar bonus" according to Andy (not THIS year, buddy, I thought). Nevertheless, I really didn't want to talk - being social on planes, subways, or even long car rides is really not "my thing" - but I felt compelled to listen and almost a little sad for him. It was clear he just wanted someone to talk to, even if the person never said anything but merely listened to his stories.

Two interesting encounters; the former "I'm blessed" situation is one I'm glad I encountered because it got me thinking/reflecting on "socially accepted greetings" and how "I'm fine," "I'm well," "Good, you?" are ubiquitous yet very stale. Although it caught me off guard (and really, how do you respond to "I'm blessed?") I felt refreshed and actually happy for this man; a) he felt confident enough to share that with me and b) I related to that feeling and c) it was an innovative way to respond to my question that so many times warrants the same old, "I'm good." I feel so blessed literally all the time; truth is, I often don't share it so openly with people because I feel I'd be "rubbing it in" or almost intrusive by bringing it up; "Oh yea, by the way, did I tell you how BLESSED and AWESOME I feel right now!? Yeah!!" You can see where it may get obnoxious. I keep thinking of my friend Jeff, who's probably heard his fair share of my "jam" rhetoric yet takes it all with a smile.

In a little over a month, my friend Bence is flying to America from Hungary and staying with me in New York for 1 1/2 weeks. He's 19, and although well-traveled in Europe, he's never been to America before and is absolutely psyched about seeing New York for the first time. I met Ben while in London last May; he was oen of my hostel roommates. He hung out with Mikey and I and we bonded; he's a great kid and I was sad to say goodbye to him after our 4-Day trip. "I would like to come to New York," he said, and I'm thinking, sadly, I'll probably never see you again. Well we kept in touch via Facebook, and now he;s crossing the pond. Bringing two worlds together; getting a glimpse of his culture, family, way of life, and vice versa, is one reason I feel incredibly blessed - partially because of me, Ben is making a journey, and a long one, at that - that would have never happened if not for a spontaneous London trip, which would have never happened if I hadn't read "AM New York" free newspaper on Monday morning, April 14, 2008, and caught the British Airways "cheap flights" ad. That, my friends, is jam.

As for Andy, I may never see this 82-year-old again, but I will always remember us bonding over Fordham; also I will remember his willingness to engage me in conversation and how damn proud he was of his children, grandchildren, and even his own life (as he well should have!) He may have had less than desirable breath, and definitely made my neck hurt (because I cocked my head to listen to him, he was slouched a bit in his chair) but I will cherish that encounter forever.