Nina In New York: A New Way To Ring In The Future

A young professional's take on the trials and tribulations of everyday life in New York City.
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By Nina Pajak

I have a friend, Robin, who lives in Washington, D.C. And oftentimes when she comes to visit, she complains about our subways. Why are they so old? Why are they so hot and dirty? Shouldn't a city like New York have better transit than her much smaller city? Don't we get cell phone service? The D.C. metro has cell phone service and air-conditioned stations.

To her I say: I got bed bugs in your city. I hate your city. But you're right, it would be really nice to have air-conditioned stations and phone service. Oh, well. I'd rather sweat my face off underground in Manhattan than sleep in a D.C. hotel again.

Well, I'm still sweating my face off while waiting for the train. However, I can now call Robin while I do it, because cell phone service is coming to the MTA! (Actually, I can't yet, because I have Verizon and they haven't reached an agreement yet. Only AT&T and T-Mobile, and only at certain stops).

There are lots of great applications for this new capability! For instance:

• No more pacing in front of the subway entrance and risk missing a train because your best friend hasn't finished telling you about his or her ex/some jerk at work/that guy she met at that bar/that thing his mother is making him attend/her sister's stupid wedding/a piece of furniture or video equipment being considered for purchase.
• No more missing your train because some clown is blocking the subway entrance talking on his phone about what he ate for dinner last night.
• Now all of those people can talk underground in a space which is often crowded and in which noise is amplified due to cavern-like conditions and the natural response to scream over the racket of incoming and outgoing trains.
• If there is an emergency or you are stuck on a train between stations, you can call for help or let someone know you'll be running late. Uh, never mind.
• Your mother can reach you 10% more often.
• Your spouse can no longer cut your conversation short by saying, "Oh shoot, hon, I'm going down in to the subway. I'll look at that sofa/speaker system/necklace/50' NFL wall-hanging online late-- chthchtchchthchshhhhhhh <click>
• Evidently, cell phones make great bomb detonators. We were getting too complacent, anyway.
• More opportunities to get mugged and/or pick-pocketed while otherwise distracted or flashing some fancy phone.
• On the other hand, now we can call 911 when that happens.
• Ability to call a friend to vent and pass the time, because you just paid $8 for a single ride and you've been waiting for a train to come for the last fifteen minutes.