A View from the Kiosk

Here’s my View from the Kiosk for Saturday the 4th of May

There is something special about a rainy, yet warm morning in the kiosk. Due to the weather, not a lot of people in the park. There was a big Kids Walk for MSK cancer walk, but other than that, the park was pretty quiet. I gave out 150 maps and helped about 260 people find their way. A slightly different approach to today’s view……..

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Here are the questions I know I will be asked each shift:

1. Where’s Strawberry Fields? There are several variations to this:Where’s Imagine?Where did John Lennon get killedWhere is Yoko’s garden

2. Where is the Fountain? This is usually accompanied by some mangling of the word Bethesda. I don’t know if it because I lived in DC or in Israel, but this is NOT a hard word to say, yet so many just can’t get it right.

3. Where is the toilet? There are several variations to this as well, from which I am trying to deduce patterns or national stereotypes:

1. Where’s the Restroom?

2. Where’s the Washroom?

3. Where are the facilities?

During this shift, a woman asked me, “Where do people in NYC go to the bathroom?” I explained to her that Starbucks is our best attempt at clean public toilets. They then asked directions to Ground Zero - to walk there. I was able to tell her not to miss the public toilet at Bryant Park. It is something we New Yorkers need to be very proud of. So clean and nice. By the way, so far, my research is showing that those who ask for the washroom, tend to be midwestern or Canadian and the tone they ask has a hint of passive aggression.

4. Where is the Zoo?

5. Where is the Met?

6. Where is the Natural History Museum?

7. How do I get to Times Square?

8. How do I get to Ground Zero?

9. Where can I eat?

10. Where’s the main entrance?

Every shift in the park also allows for great people watching. Today’s highlight was a Russian Couple who were decked head to toe in fashion logo wear. They looked like the just visited and purchased items in every boutique in Soho.

As you readers know, I am always fascinated by the refusal of straight men to ask for

directions. I had an interesting spin on this during today’s shift. The husband asked for directions while the wife kept tugging on him and saying she knows the way. I gave him directions and then said to her, “Funny, the men usually don’t want to ask”. She said, “Oh, I knew the way, he just wanted to socialize…………..”

Oh boy, she is in for a surprise.

Lastly, I finally had a visitor!!!! Mr. Steven Cassidy visited the kiosk and found out first hand what an amazing Central Park Greeter I am!