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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

On Bach Partitas and Danger Underground

Violinist, below ground
Photo by myself on the subway platform below 34th Street, in Midtown.

A talented violinist rattled off Bach Partitas, Tuesday evening, his right hand a blur. He stood uncomfortably close to one side of the subway platform.

I should have lingered to talk, but it was a long day. He graciously allowed me to take his photo.

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There is a warning sign next to the violinist above, and one across the track. The rails are dangerous, not just because of the rapid trains and narrow platforms. The 'third rail' powers the trains with electricity, and is always alive.

In my time living here, there have been more than a few accidents in the subway. People have tripped or fainted and fallen into the track. A few years ago, a young woman was pushed into the tracks by a crazed man, who was later caught. It's every New Yorker's fear.

There was one sad story about a young boy falling off the train, while passing from one car to another. Doors are located on the ends of the trains for emergency, but some passengers use them to pass between cars.

In my naive youth, I mistook the element of danger for excitement. Living on the edge.

Now I know better. I slow down when the platform is crowded. I wait for the next train. I take my time and enjoy the moment.

Halloween Musicians and the NYC Marathon, On the Subway Platform and Late Night TV and The Jazzman, 34th Street.

9 comments:

Olivier said...

belle photo de musicien de rue (non de metro). Il y a toujours de l'ambiance dans le metro new yorkais

Pennsylvania slip and fall lawyer said...

Thank you for all the great posts from last year! I look forward to reading your blog, because they are always full of information that I can put to use. Thank you again, and God bless you in 2010.

Pat said...

That's always a latent fear of mine in any subway. I stand well back. I like this photo very much, with his blurred hand adding to the atmosphere.

mxtodis123 said...

When you live in the city, you learn how to take care of yourself. Used to be that I would be closer to the tracks, but with age came wisdom and the fact that you can't trust the next guy...so I stand pretty well back.
Mary

Ken Mac said...

rats in the subway invading the platforms...that's my fear!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I try to stay away from the edge of the platform.

Paz

fishwithoutbicycle said...

Hi Kitty, I am the same, I avoid being too close to the edge, I think we become more fearful of falling when we are older. I remember when my 13year old nephew was visiting I kept pulling him away from the tracks. I am also worried about being pushed having known someone it happened to, but one difference that always strikes me about NYC vs London is the way that they report suicides on the track - surely it happens in NYC, but you never hear of it. In London they would lead such announcements with a sigh and apologize for the resulting delays due to a person throwing themselves under a train. Maybe Londoners are a depressed lot, but I never hear similar announcements in NYC.

Lori said...

I never let my son out of my grasp anytime we were down there. He's two and very fast, and I held that little hand very tight.

Anonymous said...

In Toronto the announcement is '...due to a personal injury at track level' How very apologetically Canadian!