The Corner of 42nd and 6th

This Thursday, I went to New York for a business trip.  Walking from the train station to my hotel, I walked north along 6th Ave by Bryant Park.  As I crossed 42nd St, I had this weird flood of nostalgia.  For three summers and every Wednesday for a school year, I would walk along 42nd St from one side of Manhattan to the other, going between the bus station and a series of internships that I held.  It was like I was crossing paths with my former self.  I was thinking, if my former self walking east encountered my current self walking north, what would he think?  What would please him?  What would surprise him?

• He would have been happy that I was on a business trip and someone thought my insight was valuable enough to bring me to another city.  As an intern, it was so hard to show I had value.  That would have felt good

• He may have been surprised that I didn't live in or near New York.  Younger me thought my future was almost certainly there.

• He would have been disappointed that I wasn't involved in anything having to do with the UN or international politics.  He would probably find my job interesting, but it wasn't what he was working for.

• He would be happy that I retained a lot of the same friends, but disappointed that I'm no longer as close with the ones I thought I would rely on as family.

• He would like my husband.  He would find him really fun and interesting.

• He would be surprised that I took up rock climbing.  Younger me was always really bad at it.  I think he would be really glad to hear it, though

• He would be very surprised that I primarily had gay friends.  Younger me thought the idea of a separate gay community was stupid.  We would probably have an argument about it, since older me believes very strongly in it.  I think he would like most of my friends, though.  I think he would also be surprised by how many friends I had.  Younger me preferred to rely on a small, close group.  Older me prefers to be a social butterfly.

• He would be really angry that I started enjoying pop music and went out to clubs a lot.  Younger me hated pop music with a burning passion.  Hopefully younger me would accept that pop had gotten much better and dancing can be fun with the right people.  Hard to say, though.