I was expecting guests for a late arrival. They sent me a WhatsApp message at 10:28 that they were just leaving customs and getting on the Airtrain. This would not have been my choice, especially at that time of night and with a ton of luggage. Taxi or Uber would be the way to go. Sometimes, families take the lowest cost option. I get it, but my time does have a value and a cheap subway ride is not always the best solution for me. Clearly, they prioritized cost over convenience.
I knew I would probably fall asleep before they arrived. I figured that they should arrive between 11:30 and midnight. At 1:30 am, the bathroom called my name and pulled me quickly from my deep sleep to awake. When I picked up my phone to check the time as I headed out my room, I wondered what happened. I figured must have been really tired, my guests probably connected with one of my sisters. They really should be sleeping by now.
After my quick stop, I got back in the bed but didn’t fall back to sleep. Around 2 am, I heard some folks walk up to my door. I jumped out of bed to open the door before they had the chance to ring the buzzer. The family had a friend with them. This was a brand new friend who didn’t look like he belonged but spoke the same language. The family was French and their new subway friend was fluent as well. I’m not sure if they were all from the same hometown. I do know that he was committed to helping them find the right place and getting their extra large luggage inside.
They told me they were lost in the subway when they met their brand new friend. What a great way to turn a bad experience around. This was a great introduction to New York and Harlem for my guests. Stereotypes were busted by a few actions. New perspectives were gained.