People of the Pandemic: empty streets, schools and subways in NYC

I started this project to learn more about people’s experiences of the pandemic around the world. Having had quite a dramatic entry into lockdown myself (which you can read about here), I was keen to hear of other peoples’ stories. While my initial idea was to interview people who are far from home (like me), I couldn’t resist but to reach out to people in the places I have called home in my past. I spent five months in the USA in 2016, the majority of that time in NYC. I was delighted to speak to a long-lost friend about the current state of the city, and what daily life has become.

 

Peculiar and wonderful things happen on a daily basis in New York.

I first met Stephen in Manhattan, over three years ago. A cousin of a family friend, we hit it off straight away. As we caught up over the phone last week, we found ourselves reminiscing about the city and its oddities. The first night we met, we ended up on a midtown rooftop, having a drink with a friend of a friend, and her pet lizard (she was fondly referred to throughout this conversation as ‘lizard girl’).  When we spoke, I was brought right back to my summer in Manhattan. To the hustle and bustle at the heart of the city, and the craziness at its core. 

 

It was quite shocking, then, to imagine New York in its current state, which Stephen describes as ‘apocalyptic’.

One thing that he finds confusing is the inconsistency of advice in the media; specifically, in terms of new regulations and restrictions. I ask him what the rules are in terms of allowed numbers in a group, and he isn’t sure if the ‘maximum ten’ rule still applies or not; “I feel like some weeks, we find out that specific things are banned or restricted, and then the next week they are lifted or changed, or re-announced – as though they are a new measure and not something we were already doing.” I ask him how he deals with this, to which he replies; “I just kinda do the best I can”.

He lives alone in a studio apartment so does not have to worry about interactions with flatmates, but others may suffer more from the lack of clarity. And then there are those who completely ignore the social distancing advice. One example he mentions, which caught a lot of media attention, was the funeral of a rabbi in Williamsburg. The gathering drew a large crowd, many of whom were not adhering to safety measures, which caused much public outrage.

 

 

He commutes into work early each morning on the subway, in half-empty carriages.

 

Stephen is one of the lucky ones; he has managed to keep his job.

Things really ramped up when his boss and his ‘boss’ boss’ started coming in, inspecting the cleanliness of the bathrooms. Since the school has closed, Stephen and two other staff members are responsible for the annual deep clean of the empty building. This is usually a summer task, but has been expedited this year due to the pandemic.

 

He is no stranger to intense coronavirus-related cleaning.

His co-workers spend the day debating when things will go back to normal. He has grown weary of this discussion, especially as it involves a lot of misplaced advice. A few weeks ago, one of them spent ages lecturing him on the importance of wearing gloves – then ate his sandwich without removing them. “People have suddenly become experts on what to do and what not to do”, he says.

 

What else has he discovered since the start of the pandemic?

As meeting friends isn’t possible now, he finds he has grown more attached to his phone. His mobile is the gateway to speaking with everyone he cares about. But he definitely misses real human company too; “I miss being nagged by the teachers to get various jobs done. Even the nurse, who always complains about the temperatures in different rooms. Yup, I never thought I would say this, but I miss her asking me to open and close the windows.”

One of the most interesting takeaways from the pandemic will be the impact on people’s personalities. “I reckon we will have a new generation of germaphobes”, he explains. When asked what he would like to do most when this is over, he answers without hestitation: “travel.” To where? “Arizona.” He was supposed to go there with his dad and brother for spring baseball training.

Unsure whether there will even be a baseball season, he reconsiders and comes up with a new destination: “Southbend, Indiana. My dad, brother and I have always dreamed of going to see a Notre Dame football game. But I’m really down to go anywhere.” Somewhere that is not ghost-town Manhattan.

His final words on the matter? “We better friggin’ do this when we next get an opportunity”.

When the City That Never Sleeps wakes up from its nap.