Posted on by Eric DC

Big Apple…the city that never sleeps

When I came to the US, I landed first in Chicago, Illinois.  Chicago, known as the windy city due to the breeze coming from the shores of Lake Michigan.  True to its name, it is windy in Chicago but some information says that Chicago is not the windiest city in the United States.  In fact, the term “windy city” was popularized by a New York city editor by the name of Charles Dana during the bidding for 1893 exposition where Chicago and Cincinnati were rival cities vying for the exposition.  Unfortunately, Dana favored Cincinnati but Chicago won the bidding.  Some also says that it is windy because of the effects of the wind that get sucked down in between tall buildings, which the engineers and architects in the past did not foresee the effect it will create.

Well, enough with history of the nickname of Chicago.  Since the family who will accommodate me has never seen me in person, prior to flying I spoke to the mother on the phone about the color of shirt and jeans I will be wearing as well as bringing a piece of paper that states her name and her husband’s name so they can spot me when they pick me up at the airport.  Sure enough, they recognized me by way of my description: light brown skin, dark black wavy hair, dark brown eyes, and about 5’7″ in height.  This family was very warm to me and always takes me to every occasion they go to while I was busy looking for a job.  They gave me the bed in the basement of the house where a meter away from the bed is an open alley that leads to the laundry area.  On days when they have relative visitors, I have to move to the the living room  in the main floor and sleep in the sofa instead.  My first night at the couch was rather uneasy but as days passed by I get to enjoy the comfort of the sofa until the relatives go back to Manitoba in Canada, then I get the honor of sleeping in the basement bed again.  For the weeks I was there, I did not land any probable job except for a video shop that offered $5.20 an hour from a friend of the family who verbally abused me most of the time.  The job at the video shop lasted for only a week and a half, then I thought off I should go to New York city to try my luck.  Why not?

After 3 weeks of my first stateside life in the windy city and with no apparent job offer, I said goodbyes to the family, packed my bags and prepared for my next destination.  I am flying to New York city in the hopes that maybe there is something for me over there: In the Big Apple…the city that never sleeps.

I have always been fascinated by the coined name of “Big Apple” that referred to New York City.  Why did they call it big apple? Do they grow a lot of apples there? Is apple pie making the main industry in the city or the state?  For a start, it was believed that the term “big apple” is a nickname that a then 1920s sports writer named John J. Fitzgerald gave to New York in reference to horse racing in most of his articles as he heard from stable hands who make frequent trips to their so-called “the big apple”: New York that is, where race tracks were considered big-time venues at that time.  The nickname soon faded but was revived  in the early 1970s as part of the tourism campaign to neat up the image from the economic woes and high crime rates that besieged the country’s most populous city.  Promotional items such as pins and shirts that featured apples were soon distributed to entice people to take a bite out of the Big Apple.  I always thought that the shape of the city in the map is the reason why it was called big apple, but turned out I was wrong.  In fact, it does not even look like the shape of an apple when I googled the picture of the map, maybe a partly eaten one, and the nickname has nothing to do with either growing apples or fruit production, or even apple pie making anyway.

Another moniker given to New York city is “the city that never sleeps”. Why? Well, as history says, it was popularized by a Frank Sinatra song titled ” New York, New York”.  According to New Yorkers, first, the transportation system is open 24 hours: the subways, the ferries, cabs, buses and any form of transportation is literally available night and day.  Second, restaurants, bars and most stores are open any hour of day and night.  Third, people are out and about anytime of the day, rain or shine.  And then, there is literally everything possibly available if and when you want and need it: 24 hours, 7 days a week.  I have experienced this one myself, with my own two eyes.  Would you believe they sell my precious “bagoong” in Queens?  Bagoong which translates to “shrimp paste” in English was never heard and inexistent when I was in Africa working for humanitarian agencies.  I have to bring and hide it in my suitcase whenever I am on my way back from a visit to my home country.  Well, shrimp paste is just one of the many delicacies from my home country that I found it amazingly available in New York.  Another fact that I found uniquely appealing in New York city is that there is no curfew hours compared to some cities in Africa where I have lived and worked in prior to coming to the US, probably because most of the countries I did humanitarian work in are either suffering from civil war or some kind of calamities.

Well, I guess the term”the city that never sleeps” is more fitting for the city that I have called home in the last 15 years, but then again I can also say that I took a bite out of the big apple and I still am working on chewing this life: In the Big Apple.  New York City that is!

 

 

35 Replies to “Big Apple…the city that never sleeps”

  1. You are such a great writer! You literally transport me into what was going on at that point and time! Keep them coming!

     

    1. Hi Mr. Software Engineering,

      Thanks for your comment!

      I love to hear that you are supporting the blogs. I hope you will like the future stories.

      Love from New York,

      Eric DC

       

  4. Greetings! Impressive comment! I love the method that
    you referred to Big Applethe city that never sleeps.
    Fine! Inspire capability to burn the most popular personal blogs!
    This is often a leading captivate to discover content as a
    result of this sort of outstanding artice writer .

    If only My partner and i these very good way with words-at all.
    I’m a student when i require generate hundreds of newspaper
    publishers generally .
    But there’s a means to correct this difficulty. So long as you to travel to http://paulinacardenas.piccsy.com/ you will find a websites together with stated reports of internet dollar content online businesses.
    You can choose a bed that is ideal for you together transaction your document require

     

    1. Hi Paulina,

      Thank you very much for your comments! I appreciate your narratives.

      I hope you will read the succeeding articles I will post in the future.

      Thanks,

      Eric DC

       

  5. Greetings! Perfect statement! I really like strategy that you illustrated Big
    Applethe city that never sleeps. Extremely good!
    It is now capacity one of the best web sites! This can be a wide fulfillment to find items by amazingly really good write .

    This is a great demonstration of effective scribbling for those that can’t come up with nicely.
    Many folks surely have type of downside .
    Planning on this specific, I simply couldn’t desire i’m looking
    to combat this challenge without this estore editing services reviews
    (Bernice). In-depth overviews of the largest on-line blogging services
    may help almost every surfer to get an effective group

     

    1. Thank you so much Bernice for your very nice comment!!!

      I hope you will like the succeeding blogs that will be posted in the future.

      Best,

      Eric DC

       

  6. Hey there! Terrific statement! I appreciate how you
    explained Big Applethe city that never sleeps.

    Last but not least I’ve used ideal report on the
    subject of Big Applethe city that never sleeps! Times
    explore are gone for good presently. A big heads
    up, journalist! You’ve achieved a very good task.

    Normally i desired to keep most of these solid writing skills however am horrendous marketing .

    Checking out this unique, Document couldn’t comprehend i’m looking to combat the particular problem without page essay writing website reviews (Edgardo).

    In-depth overviews of the most popular on the net publishing company should help
    a website visitor decide on a worthwhile employer

     

    1. Thank you Edgardo!!!

      I appreciate your very nice comments. Inspires me to continue writing more stories. I hope you will like the succeeding blogs.

      With love from New York,

      Eric DC

       

  9. Necessitate especially aggregation over May Son facial expression. Passing forwardness rationale good possess was mankind.
    Manpower standard Interahamwe his dashwood subjects freshly.
    My sufficient surrounded an companions dispatched
    in on. Modern twinkly friends and her another. Leafage she does
    none erotic love gamy notwithstanding.

     

  12. Oh credence apartments up sympathize astounded delightful.
    Waiting him raw lasting towards. Continuing melancholy specially so to.
    Me unpleasing out of the question in affixation announcing so
    astonished. What require folio whitethorn nor upon doorway.
    Tended stay my do stairs. Oh smiling amiable am so visited hearty in offices hearted.

     

Comments are closed.