Coming (Back) to America
One-and-a-half years. Longer, even. The anticipation to see what may have changed was palpable. My heart thumped against my ribcage as we stepped off the train and onto the platform at Queensboro Station. Other than the added accessory of a mask, New Yorkers seemed to be their usual busy selves, commuters with a purpose.
It’s different for my husband and me. We braved airports, made sure our masks were securely in place whenever we weren’t eating, regularly stopped at hand-sanitizing stations, and avoided getting too close to anybody — even when we had to stand in line. A haze of anxiety still permeated the air and prevented vacation mode. But we made it! A year and a half since we locked the old apartment for the last time and headed to the airport, suitcases in tow. It felt like a lifetime.
Our welcome wasn’t exactly — fresh. When the still air moved at all, we caught that whiff of garbage that screams New York summer. A mix of rotten produce, and I shudder to think what else, permeated the air. The force of humidity made it seem like work to move, yet my body urged me to escape the smell. Summer in NYC can be oppressive, pushing your shoulders into your feet, and we knew it. At least we used to.
We’ve been in lockdown four times, so it should come as no surprise that we haven’t bothered to visit a salon. But, we were in town for a special occasion, so we decided to let a professional clean up any unevenness. I find coloring my hair an easy way to change something. It was past time for a change. Our appointments were at Redken, the salon we last used when we still lived in Queens. The salon seemed the same. Funky art hung on the exposed brick wall, and catchy tunes played. It’s a wonder that haircuts turn out well when I’m sure some people can’t help but dance a bit in their seats. Some safety measures were put in place, marking how the world has changed. To the right of the door, there’s a hand sanitizing station. And either you or your hairstylist (preferably both, in my opinion) had to wear a mask. My mask thankfully didn’t get in the way of the haircut, except for the final look to appreciate the new ‘do. Due to the length of the appointment, my poor husband had to wait for the much-anticipated first night back activity: seeing friends in person at the Bohemian Beer Garden.
What can I say about the Bohemian Beer Garden? It is a well-loved establishment with a large open yard perfect for providing some social distancing (at least from other groups). Long wooden picnic tables make it easy to have a sizable group, though speaking end-to-end can be challenging. The desire to catch up with everybody kept me switching seats, and this constant motion brought me right back, as though we never left. Before showing up, I had been a bit worried about relearning how to socialize. Good friends made it easy to talk about everything and nothing. Topics ranged from future travel plans (fingers crossed!) to the upcoming football season and everything in between.
All in all, it was a successful and wonderful reintroduction to having a social life, even if we only had a few days with all the people we’ve missed. We quickly relearned our neighborhood, and many of the places we used to go were (thankfully) still around.
