Just accept your crowded fate

By Jim Souhan, Star Tribune

Last update: July 5, 2007 - 8:20 PM

NEW YORK - A Fourth of July night in New York is like everything else in New York -- bigger, more celebrated, more bombastic, more crowded.

Told the city's fireworks display was unique, we headed toward the Hudson River Wednesday night. A few blocks from the water, we ran into a unique traffic jam.

The streets were filled with people. This being New York, nobody turned away. Instead, everyone pushed forward, brandishing friendly elbows.

I got shoved out of the way by entire families who held hands and shoved to gain an advantage. That settled it -- I do not want to be reincarnated as a salmon.

We eventually found a patch of asphalt we could call our own. The fireworks were mildly impressive. We headed back toward Midtown and ran into human gridlock.

In the Twin Cities, gridlock would be cause for consternation, if not panic. In New York, people joke and jostle and accept their fate.

Whaddyagonnado? Fuggedaboudid.

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