USA - 1982 - New York

 Direction New York.

Soon we could see the skyscrapers at the horizon, less that 2 hours drive and we are on the city entrance road.

The sign read: Harlem.

I got paralysed.
I do not exactly know why, there was not so much negative much propaganda in Communist Poland showing USA in a bad light.
Of course there were reports about homelessness, poverty, crime, racism etc, but it was so remote.

And here, out of sudden, we are at the gate to Harlem - panic, panic.

Lock the door - I commanded - and avoid looking at anybody.
In few minutes time we got stuck in a traffic jam. In the distance I could see young Afro-American men washing front screens of the coming cars.

Prepare some change for me - I commanded to Sylwia - and do not look anybody into eyes.

After next few minutes we were in the front line. Young, massively built man, smiled friendly to me

- Screen wash, sir?
I nodded approvingly.
In few seconds the windscreen was clean, I lower the window glass slightly
- How much do we owe you?
- It is up to you, sir. Welcome to New York!
I handed him probably $2, he waved friendly to my passengers and we moved on.
I felt relaxed and rather embarrassed with my previous precautions.

Our American friend from Kuwait, Joe K. booked for us room in hotel in 88th Street. It was very close to the main attraction in the city centre.

The first attraction was an open air concert in the Central Park.
It was something new for us. We were lovers of classical music, but we experienced it only in official concert halls.
And here it was - free for all and in beautiful surrounding.
Of course there were some conversations around us, some cracking of serviettes or food containers, clink of wine glasses, but this was a part of the parcel.
After the concert we went for a shot walk in alleys around the big lawn and there was a mounted police, some loud commands, noises.
- Do not walk this way - warned us some passerby, there was attempted robbery there.

Next day, maybe even two, were filled with visiting many popular New York attractions.

We also rang Wanda, who we met at the camping camp few days earlier.
She told us that she will be in the city next day and will be very happy to visit some not so well known attraction.

It was a small castle brought from Europe to New York.

Wanda also told us about her current occupation.
We remembered that her husband was employed by Mr Potamkin, as a manager of cars depo and occasionally as a limo driver, to pick up from the airport most important quests of his boss.
One of them was a director of Canadian Railways.
He was so enchanted with Stan's small talk that he made a proposal:
My wife has a luxurious apartment in New York and once a year, at the beginning of art season, she organises a series of events for her friends.
She needs a manager for this apartment - all year it stays empty, but for these 2 weeks of high season it comes to life - sumptuous parties everyday, visits of distinguished guests etc.
Of course all services, catering of the best quality are paid.
A very reliable manager is needed to order, control and coordinate all these activities.
And this is her job for the last few years.

Same day in the evening, we met Joe K American of Polish origin and his girlfriend and visited Lincoln Centre.
There was a performance of Dvorak's Cello concerto.

There was one more point in our program for New York - to visit my aunt who lived in an old-age care home in Long Island.
I rang a car hire.
- What credit card should we charge?
- I do not have a credit card, I will pay in cash.
A moment of silence and then - you must be joking, you will pay us few dollars and we will not see neither you nor our car.
They hang up.

Now I understood dilemmas of car hire in Washington.
Stan and Wanda were the only chance.
I rang them suggesting that they will hire a car and pay with their credit card and we will return them all in cash. Stan burst in laughter - don't you remember that I am running a car depo?
Come there and you will get a car of your choice for free.
Next morning we packed and went there by taxi.
Soon we passed poor residential suburbs and found ourselves in some industrial desert.
Miles and miles of empty streets filled with neglected stores and used cars depos.
Finally we got there. A smart minibus was waiting for us.
- We hope it will serve you well.
It did.

Meeting with my aunt was very touching and memorable.

Our arrangement for car return was, that we bring it to Stan and Wanda home in the morning, spend all day there and in the evening they will drop us to the airport.
They lived in Greenpoint, the area dominated by Polish community.
We felt like in Poland, not the one we remembered, it was Poland of previous generation.

Evening, we sat at the meal and then phone rang, and then again and again.

Stan turned to us with radiant face.
President Reagan declared that due to martial law in Poland, no Polish visitor can be expelled from United States.
Bring your luggage inside, you are not going anywhere.
You can stay with us a month or two, we will enroll your children to a school nearby.
You will find jobs and settle down for good!

Somehow he did not convince us.
We noticed disappointment in their faces

We boarded Kuwait Airways flight.

Previous Post - Niagara Falls - Click.     

 END