Missing Boston

I miss Boston, a surprising realization I made while immersed in a crowd of strangers on the T (that’s the subway for those who don’t know Boston). Even more surprising are the things I miss about Boston. I miss getting lost in a crowd on the busy downtown streets. I miss taking the T around (yes, it’s quite odd to actually miss public transportation – I must be weird or something). I miss hearing music drift through the open T doors while stopped at Park Street or South Station. I miss the hustle and bustle, and yes, even the sounds of traffic.

I walked from South Station down Summer Street and Winter Street eventually ending up at Boston Common, a wonderful bit of nature where, on a nice sunny warm day like today, many people can be found lounging on the grass, eating lunch on the park benches, or merely sitting and enjoying the nice weather and beautiful surroundings. Sure, it’s not the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. In fact it probably wouldn’t even make my list of top 10 most beautiful places, but there’s something about it. Maybe the liveliness of having so many people here. Maybe the coming together of the city and a touch of nature that is vacant in so many other areas of the city. I don’t’ know what it is, it just draws me in.

And while walking down Summer Street to get here, I stopped and got a slurpee (the 7-11 here had a different Crystal Light flavor – raspberry lemonade, a bit on the sweet side but a nice change from my usual tart passionfruit). I then came across a woman with a beautiful voice singing karaoke to accompaniment CDs. I stood and listened for a while. Things like that just can’t be found in rural, or even suburban, towns. And I miss it.

Okay, perhaps I don’t entirely miss the flocks of pigeons flying back and forth across the park, flapping only inches from my head. But I don’t really mind them. Perhaps I need to strive towards frequent visits to this part of Boston, not too far from school but far enough to prevent me from having a quick trip over here. I need to come to the commons, to the Aquarium to visit the penguins, to Faneuil Hall, to all those places in Boston I feel a yearning for. And perhaps I need to rethink my notion that I don’t like living in the city...

Yours,
Penguini