Once in a blue moon, what you’re hearing on your iPod just so happens to perfectly mesh with what you’re seeing/feeling/smelling in the outside world. And that was the case this morning. The 8:16 actually pulled into Grand Central a full four minutes early, and the Kinks’ “Better Things” cranked from my new Nano. I shook the rain from my umbrella and joined the sheep-shuffle up the ramp.

Just as I crossed through Hudson News in Grand Central, the Kinks’ “State of Confusion” was rocking along.

Standing on an island/In the middle of the road
Traffic either side of me/Which way will I go? 

I then stumbled upon a giant morass of humanity clustered around a big beige cube smack in the middle of the hallway, with an MTA sign informing us that repair work was being done on the “terrazzo.” People tried to push through to the exit on Park Ave. People struggled to get into the main concourse. People like me tried to get to the subway. All told, there must’ve been a few hundred people jammed around the giant terrazzo cube.

We did eventually get through, but encountered another jam-up on the stairs heading down to the 6.

I shouldve stayed at home/I should have never come outside
Now I wish I never tried/To cross the other side
 

guardian.jpg

As happens once in a (mercifully) rare while, both the 6 and the express had arrived at the same time, so dozens of us were left stuck on the stairs, a waiting downtown subway mere feet away, but our progress blocked by a massive wave of mankind schlepping up the stairs.

I’m in a state/State of confusion (whooooh).
It’s a state/State of confusion (whooooh).

MTA question man Dan Brucker says he “hasn’t the slightest idea” as to when the MTA will be done with their little terrazzo project, but will find out. Until it’s fixed, you just might find yourself wishing you could fly like Superman.

[photo: guardian.co.uk]