current events
June 9th, 2009
“A heads-up. Starting in 2015, the new Second Avenue Subway will help relieve overcrowding on the Lexington lines. Overdue, but excellent news.”
When I hear the phrase, “Heads up…” on a subway, I tend to expect it to be followed with something like, “there’s something weird on that handle…” or, “that guy is rummaging through your bag…” or, “your leashed puppy is on the other side of the train door.”
Something with… immediate importance. “Heads up” is a need-to-know-NOW exclamation, often why it is shouted just before a poorly aimed Frisbee clocks an unsuspecting jogger in the mouth or a careening soccer ball kicked by an overzealous father takes a toddler clean off her feet.
Granted, giving someone “a heads-up” does imply you’re letting them know in advance, but I would venture to say that it is understood to have relevance to a more immediate situation. “A heads-up” 6 years in advance seems to warrant a more appropriate headline – something like, “Notice…” or, “By the way…” or possibly, “Sucks to be you now, but…”
The next time I have a 6’8” man’s underarm pressed over my head, a 5’1” woman’s excessively large, patent-leather handbag pushing my knees out the other direction, and a yellow-toothed old man reeking of alcohol breathing over my shoulder, I’ll do my best of finding comfort in this “overdue, but excellent news.”
June 9th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
If I enjoyed overcrowding, then I might resent a new train giving me more space. Real Estate is illiquid and given the forecast of a long economic recovery, I now have six years to unload the condo I paid too much money for. I also may need that much time to find adequate housing in an overcrowded place like … Delhi. I believe the deciding factor is the length of your decision-making period. No, I don’t find a conflict in the advisory.
June 9th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
By the way, that overzealous father knocking over the toddler wasn’t me, was it?
June 9th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Ah, but then the news is less than “excellent” and rationality of the author is lost. And if there’s one thing that education taught me, it’s that people are rational.
And no, the soccer ball comment is just a link. Besides, you’re more of a boxer.
June 12th, 2009 at 12:14 am
They certainly know how to spread out the good news to last a while. It sounds like it will be a long 6 years.
August 12th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I’d feel better immediately knowing I only have to commute like a sardine for 5.5 more years. Fantastic message.
/so odd.
Great blog though – love your perspective.