Other Writings When I Am Not Drafting The Sci-Fi Universe

High Line Park Romance

  It was close to 9 P.M. when Jane and John arrived at the West 17th street and 10th avenue's High Line Park to meet their friends with smiles across their faces. Their friends stood up from the stair seats and went up with them in group, cheering.

  This was the place where they first met each other. They were both New Yorker's on a walk above the High Line in a winter's afternoon in opposite direction. They both sat at the alternate edge of the stair seats on the same level enjoying the view down the 10th avenue. Traffic and pedestrians rushed by, they sat still.

  The afternoon sun was warming. Jane made the first move by walking near John and sat down casually.

  "The weather's nice today," Jane said. "Do you come here often, I haven't seen you around."

  John kept his eyes up on the sky and said "Indeed." then fell into silence.

  "You didn't answer the other question yet." Jane said.

  "Actually this is the first time I've been here. It’s nice with all these natural vegetation and the view of the Manhattan here up close. I think the guy who turned this track into a park deserve some respect." said John.

  Jane caressed the wooden plank she sat on and said "They did earn respect, at least from us." She smiled at him. "Want a tour of your life? Follow me." Jane stood up and jumped up the stairs. She waved at him to stick close "Allow me to present it to you, the Statue of Liberty that stranded on the Liberty Island, for life." She pointed to the far end in between the bridges of two building just behind where they were sitting.

  The lights around the statue reflected back and John made out the shape of the Lady Liberty.

  "Cool, I never thought we would be able to see the lady up here. I wondered if the passengers were seeing the same thing when the train was still running." John said.

  "Maybe it was just a flash or a glimpse, or a blur." She said. "Anyway, come on, we should go check out the bird house."

  "The bird what?" John said.

  "The bird house, you will see."

  They walked pass others enjoying the sunbath on the benches and seats along the path or walking in leisure like them. Reaching the bird cage, Jane said "Here it is, the house."

  "This? They looked more like art to me." He said.

  Jane glanced at him, gave him a 'seriously' look. He viewed it in details and said "Wait, they were made art, in the form of bird house."

  "Correcto." She chuckled.

  They strolled in the park till the dusky sky covered the city. Jane told John about her line of work as an editor assistant, in turns he told her about his life as a librarian.

  They dined in a nearby restaurant and chatted until the owner shoved them out in good manner.

[Thanks to +William Ng who discovered the High Line and told me about this wonder place, and indirectly inspired me to write this little story based on real location. I did my Google and Youtube.]