“In a New York minute/ Everything can change …”
Written and sung by the Eagles’ Don Henley, “New York Minute” is about how quickly and drastically life can turn. Thought to be inspired by the stock market crash of October 1987, the lyric also fits what has happened to New Yorkers in November 2016.
As the month ends, let’s look at a few examples:
Just weeks ago, New Yorker Huma Abedin was preparing to spend lots of time at the White House in 2017 and beyond as the indispensable aide to president-in-waiting Hillary Clinton. Blindsided by FBI Director James Comey’s reopening of the investigation into Clinton’s e-mails because some were found on estranged husband Anthony Weiner’s computer, Abedin was left behind when Clinton took a last-minute national campaign swing.
Right after Clinton’s shocking loss, Abedin was spotted on a Brooklyn street with tears streaming down her face.
Meanwhile, after nearly a 100-year wait, the Second Avenue subway is poised to launch! Sort of. The city promised to open the first leg of the line before the end of 2016. “We’re working very judiciously to meet this date,” MTA chairman Tom Prendergast has said.
The latest effort has cost $4.5 billion, and it has resulted in the completion of a grand total of three new stops (96th, 86th and 72nd). For that sum, every rider could’ve been personally picked up by limo and driven to work for years. Thanks, MTA!
Last week, President-elect Donald Trump (talk about a drastic change) said his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, might be the ideal person to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since Kushner has zero foreign policy experience, one can only assume Trump believes this because Kushner is Jewish. Kind of like thinking singer Paula Abdul would be the perfect person to solve the crisis in Aleppo because she’s of Syrian descent.
Finally, Trump said his wife, Melania, and son Barron will not join him in the White House, but remain in Trump Tower. For us, this means endless midtown traffic mayhem and an ongoing $1 million-a-day security price tag.
What a lovely surprise.
Playwright Mike Vogel is the author of the new comedy “Senior Moment.”
