Alrighty so here's a fun little story of my first trip into NYC without my parents. So for Christmas that year I had saved up my money and bought my Pop (grandfather) tickets to go see a Broadway show. He was about 85 at the time and needs a little bit of help getting around at times. So I had 2 tickets and so the day rolled around and my brother and dad dropped us off at the corner of 8th Ave and 42nd street. Now mind you I do not live very far away from NYC whatsoever to the point where where I'm from we just refer to it as "the city". So it was no way my first time in New York and I know the theatre district- Hell's Kitchen area pretty well. So we're walking down 42nd street in the direction of Times Square and I guess my pop was in kinda a bad mood because all he kept going on about was how much he hates New York City and saying how disgusting everything was and literally asking me if I had enough vitamin C that day so I built up my immune system. So yeah a great start, anyway so it was very very cold that day (it was January what do you expect) and my pop had to use the bathroom so he sees the subway station across the street next to the lyric theatre and he goes "let's go look for a bathroom in there." So yeah he wanted to go look for a bathroom in the subway, He was actually willing to use a subway bathroom, ew. So anyway we're down in the subway and fortunately he could not find a bathroom, but it was substantially warmer down in the underground so we ended up just staying down there until our show time came closer. And it was so funny we just stood around and watched all the people rushing in and out, the homeless breaking into the metro card machines, all sorts of fun things. Then it happened. This girl was walking towards the steps to the street just like I've watched hundreds of others do that day, she looked a little familiar but I didn't really think anything of it. She was with a friend and all of a sudden they began to sing circle of life from the lion king, then it hit me that girl was Alysha Umphress!!! I had never seen a picture of her other than when she was in show makeup so I would never of picked her out on the street other than her voice. And I was blown away to see her there (though looking back it made sense because she was currently in a show at the lyric theatre at the time) and I ran up to her and I just go "omg your Alysha Umphress." So anyway super amazing and for all who don't know Alysha Umphress is this super fabulous Broadway actress.
Alysha Umphress as Hildy in On the Town
Alright so to finish the story after seeing Alysha, we left and went to our theatre and saw the show and afterwards while we were leaving my pop was so unbelievably thrilled. He was looking at all the lights and saying how beautiful and unique and amazing New York City is, and how much he loved the show and how talented everyone was. It was a complete 180 from his personality prior to the show and it was absolutely fabulous. Leading him out of the theatre and onto the street was like a mother pulling a small child who is so distracted by everything around them. But all in all I was relieved and so happy that he actually enjoyed the show and our day, and now he has a whole new respect for the city and its so cool to have been able to share that with him.
Okay guys so that was a fun little story I thought to share! Like I mentioned before just comment if your feeling these journals if not
