How Fast is Fast?

 How Fast is Fast?

by

B.D. Adams

©2013

What rides at parks or county/state fairs do you love? Do they scare the p’geebies out of you? How about roller coasters? The faster the better? The more sharp curves the better? I have to stop ... I’m getting dizzy.

Frankly, those rides are nothing compared to the rides in New York City! And, yes ... I’ve lived there and experienced “The Rides!”

My first experience was the second day in the city, after we had unloaded the truck. My good friends, who helped us move from Columbus, Ohio, had had the “experience” before and were the catalysts for this first time ride for us. We lived in Brooklyn, so we got on the train at the RR station in Bay Ridge.  

Of course, we just couldn’t sit where we got on the train; we had to move all the way to the first car! The train was already going fast as we went from car to car to the beginning. That was awesome all on its own! Then, we reached our goal ... the first car. And, I should specify that this train was an “express” – limited stops.

We were stopped at this one subway station just before shooting to Manhattan ... this was a work day, so there were many riders. The door chimes indicated that the doors would be closing and the train would be leaving the station very soon. The doors closed ... the train began. My friends made us stand right at the front of the train, the front window. There was nothing but dark in the tunnel, only lights from the train’s headlights. In Science Fiction shows they always refer to “worm holes” that show incredible speed when traveling in those holes. That’s my description of my first ride on a subway train in New York City!! A worm hole or, even better, falling down a rabbit hole, like in “Alice in Wonderland!!” Very surrealistic!

All in all, this ride was exhilarating!! I did let out a small scream at a curve and a black woman near to me said, “Honey ... don’t worry none. The cars don’t jump (the tracks).” She smiled to me as the other veteran riders did, also. They knew my husband and I were neophytes.

After we lived there for a few months and rode the subway quite often, I could actually nap on my way home from my job in Manhattan – sitting down, of course.

These present days, my source of speed, since 2003, has been when I ride in Daniel’s HEMI powered ’37 Plymouth Sedan! That does not scare me, but oh ... what a rush there is!!!