Essay

Biting the Big Apple

By Maria Bromley

I just spent last weekend in New York, Tokyo's jagged twin. After spending seven years in the concrete jungle of Tokyo I recently moved to small-town America. I was enjoying my suburban sprawl; that is, sprawling on my chaise lounge in the comfort of my backyard.

But with my daughter a few hours away in the urban mecca of New York, I decided to spend a weekend back in the jungle -- and what a weekend it was! Luckily I am writing this on the train back to Boston, so you know I made the conscious decision to go home. But it was a hard decision.

Waking up in the morning with a view of Times Square, the Bloomberg stock ticker and two large neon Corona bottles was as comforting to me as the smell of cinnamon buns being baked in the oven, or more likely, the smell of cinnamon from the Cinnabon store in the mall.

I realized I am an urban person. It is great when you get a clue as to who you really are, because, at 50, I am still figuring this out. Figuring out who you really are is a luxury. Many people, including myself, spend most of their time just trying to survive, pay the bills and have a little fun in between. I admire people who are lucky enough to know who they are at a young age. For me it's been a longer process -- I'm what you might call a late bloomer. But we all evolve as the waves of time and experience erode us into softer-edged beings. I am still trying to decide between the social urbanite and the laid-back suburban dweller. But this weekend pushed me closer to the urbanite side of things.

I felt comforted by the closeness of humanity, of knowing that there were about one million people outside my door. They may have been ready to mug me but at least they were there. I realized I felt more nervous in the suburbs, where I look into the blackness of my sprawling backyard. I remember one night in Tokyo lying on my son's bed reading to him and looking out at a bunch of tall, well-lit buildings. I felt so safe. My weekend in New York also confirmed my belief that people like to be near other people. Or at least most people like to be near most other people. Tokyo and New York are global twins for a reason. They attract souls who want to feel the grit of concrete and the energy of humanity at their door. They are global twins but just like any siblings they have differences. We will look at those differences next time.

Shukan ST: SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

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