A Dylan Nord Blog

I spent 40 minutes this morning with a small group of people on the platform of a train station, not knowing when our train would arrive. It had me thinking back on what I think about often…

New York used to give us a few beautiful moments of humanity everyday, where if you’d pay attention, that is pull your focus to the present moment, you’d find fellowship.

Moments when, during the day dozens, and at rush hour a hundred, people would gather together and run the same thoughts on New York’s subway platforms.

Some of the people on the platform would bend their heads over the yellow line, searching the dark tunnel so the rest of us could stand comfortably back. While others kept their ears tuned, anticipating a distant grind and screech. The rest tried to solve the bigger problems, reading a book or just thinking; they did our worrying and research. It was quiet, everyone’s role delegated by evolution or disposition. We all were poised. I would smile aloud, and walk up and down the platform, aware of how great it all was. 

Then I heard Rory Sutherland explain how countdown clocks in subway stations make commuters happier, and as a public service project, New York City installed these countdown clocks in our metro stations. The clocks told commuters when the next train was due to arrive. And Rory was right, everyone is more at ease. But what a shame, to throw away one of our most beautiful moments of togetherness in exchange for comfort, and assurance, because those were some our finest moments.

Waiting for the train, was like that pop quiz in 6th grade that no one was prepared for, not even the nerds. And we all groaned together, and accepted our demise with the redemption of commonality.    

Or when you won. All you could talk about after was the game, because every detail held its own excitement. Even after everything had been accounted for and retold, you told it again, only slightly different.

Or what about that sunday morning you woke up hungover, and all your friends were still there. And you all went out for pancakes, and juice. And all the fun you’d had, you’d had together. And you discovered as you spoke that everything you’d experienced the night before had become ten times more extravagant while you slept, it seemed now, that you had been kings and queens just the night before, untouchable.

These were all great moments, some of my favorite. I’m thankful that there are still a few metro stations without countdown clocks, and I really do smile while we wait at those. But more often than not, the C train arrives in 4 or 7 minutes, and I don’t know what anyone is thinking. But I know I’ll have enough time to get a diet Snapple. And I know I’m alone.

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— Miami Vine (@MiamiVine) March 15, 2013