Pandemic Watch: NYC Subway: Now that’s Entertainment. Or is it?

By this point, most of us New Yorkers have ridden the subway. Some of us have ridden it many times. I took my first ride, June 2020 when they reopened barbershops. The subway cars were very clean and empty. I took several more rides as the summer progressed and haven’t stopped.

The rides were pleasant. But something was missing. Or was it? During the early rides, the “entertainers” were not there. ‘Ya know the people I am talking about — The dancers, gymnasts, singers, the people who do tricks with their dogs and of course the subway “religious leaders” who bless and praise everyone.

During my early subway rides, I marveled at the peace and quiet while reading a book on my Fire tablet. Although I found it pleasurable. I felt like something was missing. Several rides later one of the usual musicians came aboard with his guitar. He serenaded us with his voice as his fingers strummed. Naturally, he came around with his hat looking for tips. Some passengers tossed him a few coins or handed over a dollar or two. Most ignored him.

As time went on and more rides were taken the dancers were back. The gymnasts, the people who do backflips and pretend they are firefighters when they slide down the hand poles followed. So were the preachers and other philosophers. Long before Facebook had medical experts, philosophers and politicians, the NYC subway was chock full of them. It still is. It always will be.

Of course, now we have the people who need selfies of their shenanigans on the train. Heaven forbid they miss a chance to post to Instagram or Tik Tok. Last Thanksgiving, a mask less woman of about 20 years of age danced around an empty car while snapping shots of herself.

Sometimes you get lucky. You get a festival. This means you have battling actors, guitarists, drummers, singers, etc. All are vying for your attention and money. You always have the candy salesman. Some even take credit cards. These business persons will swipe your card on their device or walk off the train with it.

Well, I am glad they are back. Love ’em or not they are part of our city’s culture and spirit. Now that we are living in a cashless society, I wonder how this affects the way they make their livings?

Time to get off the train. I am not worried about missing a performance. The subway stations are loaded with entertainers.

Other posts are below.

Pandemic Watch: Masked or not?

Pandemic Watch: Patti Smith brings live music back to City Winery NYC

Pandemic Watch: Forgotten mask

Pandemic Watch: Shopping before a predicted snowstorm

mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2021/02/01/pandemic-watch-shopping-before-a-predicted-snowstorm/

Pandemic Watch: Keeping it clean

Pandemic Watch: ’Twas the night before Thanksgivinghttps://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/26/pandemic-watch-twas-the-night-before-thanksgiving/
Pandemic Watch: Empty Galleries
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/24/pandemic-watch-empty-galleries/
Pandemic Watch: The spirit of Coney Island
https://wp.me/p8mDRF-js
Pandemic Watch: Essential Workers
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/17/pandemic-watch-essential-workers/
Pandemic Watch: Rediscovering NYC
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/16/pandemic-watch-rediscovering-nyc/
Pandemic Watch: Gloves
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/08/13/pandemic-watch-gloves/
Pandemic Watch: Back to the City
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/pandemic-watch-back-to-the-city
“Pandemic Watch: Facial expressions,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/29/939
“Pandemic Watch: What will we do with our masks and gloves at the end?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/22/pandemic-watch-what-will-we-do-with-our-masks-and-gloves-at-the-end
Pandemic Watch, Staying in Shape,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/17/pandemic-watch-staying-in-shape
“Pandemic Watch: Community groups stepping up,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/pandemic-watch-community-groups-stepping-up
“Pandemic Watch: Have masks replaced fuzzy dice in windshields?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/09/pandemic-watch-have-masks-replaced-fuzzy-dice-in-windshields
“Pandemic Watch: How will we be entertained?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/08/pandemic-watch-how-will-we-be-entertained
“Pandemic Watch: Communicating via video,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/pandemic-watch-communicating-via-video
“Single Life”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/02/pandemic-watch-single-life
“Pandemic Watch: Seniors and lifesaving phone calls during the pandemic or other times,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/01/pandemic-watch-seniors-and-lifesaving-phone-calls-during-the-pandemic-or-other-times
“Pandemic Watch: There are places I remember.”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/pandemic-watch-there-are-places-i-remember
“Pandemic Watch: Creating a new fashion statement,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/pandemic-watch-creating-a-new-fashion-statement
“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop
“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation
“Pandemic Watch: Will my nephew ever know how good it was?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/19/pandemic-watch-will-my-nephew-ever-know-how-good-it-was
“Pandemic Watch: What will happen when I get released on parole?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/pandemic-watch-what-will-happen-when-i-get-released-on-parole
“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times
“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday
“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits
“Traveling on public transit and being outside during the Covid-19 pandemic,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/traveling-on-public-transit-and-being-outside-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime
“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but
“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608
“Trashy Parks,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks

Originally published at http://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com on September 1, 2021.