Summer in the City

I rarely see an open parking spot on my street but in the summer when everyone in my neighborhood heads out to the Hamptons I might see up to five spots – on those days I wish I had a car just so that I could park.

Central Park - Sheep's Meadow
For people who don’t go to the beach in the summer, Central Park is the next best thing. I’m not a beach person so I think it’s better - you don’t have to clean off the sand and salt you get on yourself from swimming in the ocean. Sitting on the grass in Sheep’s Meadow I hear three different conversations around me, an airplane overhead, and leaves rustling in the wind. I’m surprised by how quiet it feels here compared to the rest of the city, there are no cars - only joggers’ shoes slapping the pavement and bicycle wheels whizzing by.

Next to the pond there’s a shirtless man with a guitar singing James Taylor hits. I thought those songs are really worn out by now, but maybe a hundred people are sitting under the trees listening to him. I sit down and let myself enjoy it too, sitting in the park on perfect summer day feels like sleeping with your eyes open. I know the guitarist wants to play his own music but the crowd doesn’t let him.