Market Morning

Dressed for cold and rain, I step from the entrance awning of our building on Layton Street and walk two blocks to the subway station. I’m glad to see the world is awake here: a station attendant emptying trash, other commuters on their way to or from work. The homeless person isn’t awake, but rather, completely wrapped in a blanket, he soundly sleeps. Lights shine in the tunnel, closer, closer, and the R train rolls into the station.

Passengers visit in languages that I don’t understand. Some doze. It appears the man beside me is reading the Koran. Because it’s Ramadan he, like my Muslim coworker, will fast between sunrise and sunset. (This means no eating or drinking.)

I’ve arrived at Queens Plaza to wait for a bus that will take me to Roosevelt Island. Motels, offices, and residential apartment buildings rise all around me. I remember when this was a derelict, high-crime area. It’s changed. Now, we could not afford to live here.

A lady greets me. We’ve waited here together before. She comments that April 1 the train will again stop at Roosevelt Island. We won’t have to take the bus like we’ve been doing for months now. A man asks us for directions to 39th Avenue. We try to point him in the right direction.

Rain falls. Overhead scaffolding protects us. Soon a bus will pull up to the stop. (If not, Uber to the rescue.)

Good morning! May your day be blessed. The verse the Lord gave me today is Proverbs 4:23, ” Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” I’d like to hear your inspiration. Berniece