The most random things happen when you least expect it.
Here's the scene: New Year's Day, Central Park, enjoying a stroll with my sister, cousin (who we'll call Gertrude), and friend (we'll call her J) during our NYC vacation.
We had started at the Southeast corner of the park, walked by Wollman Rink and the Dairy, watched performers at the Mall, marveled and photographed Bethesda Terrace, then had a quick lunch at the boathouse. Next stop, bow bridge. (The above photo was taken while standing on said bridge.)
My sister and I had been to New York before (and are obsessed with all things NYC, so we have researched quite a bit about the city), but this was Gertrude and J's first trip to the City. So my sister and I are pointing out a few things including the Dakota building, which you can see peeking over the top of the trees in the center of the above photo. This is the building John Lennon lived in and was shot in front of; his widow Yoko One still lives there. At the front of the building are two flames, and I had read before that this was an "eternal flame" in memory of Lennon. So one of us, I can't recall which one, was telling Gertrude and J about the eternal flame when a man stepped into the conversation and informed us that a lot of people think that, but they're actually just there for lights and are not eternal flames. Then he begins to tell us more about the Dakota building and told us a lot about John Lennon and "Yoko" (first name only) and the Strawberry Fields memorial. He said he was a volunteer park tour guide and he lives in the neighborhood on the Upper West Side so that's how he knows so much. Then he tells us about several other buildings on the Upper West Side. He points out the San Remo building (the two towers on the right side of the picture through the trees) and says a lot of celebrities live there. He asks if we've heard of a famous movie director named Steven Spielberg. I kind of laugh and say yeah, I've heard of him. He tells us that Mr. Spielberg lives there. He tells us several others who live there and around the neighborhood. He says that Bruce Willis bought the top of one of the towers of the San Remo for Demi Moore, and later Demi and Ashton Kutcher lived there together. He says that Demi Moore kind of keeps to herself, and when he sees her in the elevator she usually stands int he corner and doesn't speak.
Pause right here. Does Central Park even have volunteer tour guides? I don't know. This guy knows a lot of stuff, but I'm not sure I'm buying that someone who lives in the same neighborhood as all these celebrities spends time as a tour guide. Also, if he's seen Demi Moore in the elevator, does he live in the San Remo building? I'm pretty sure average joes don't just live in the San Remo. So this is a little fishy.
By this point in the conversation, or rather as soon as this guy started speaking, J walked away off the bridge. She thought it was incredibly rude that this guy interrupted our conversation and doesn't want to listen to anymore. This becomes quite humorous when we finally figure out who this guy may be. It didn't really bother me that he interrupted. I love speaking to New Yorkers and learning more about the city from them. I've found they are much friendlier and willing to share than most people think. I very rarely ask, but I guess people can tell I'm from out of town and many initiate the conversation. This made me skeptical at first as I've heard too much about crime and pickpockets in New York City, but I have yet to have anything stolen (knock on wood). I'm very careful about keeping my bag close and secure, but everyone I've encountered just seems to want to chat.
Anyway, back to the story. This mysterious "tour guide" (who by the way had nothing on to identify him with the park, just a regular winter coat and hat, but maybe it was "his day off," I don't remember if he said), he tells us about other parts of the city. He recommended we ice skate in Bryant Park, because "there's nothing like skating in the middle of the city." He recommends the High Line (going to that when I go back next summer), and several other things I don't recall. The only ones that stuck in my mind are the ones I hadn't done, things I had already experienced I just nodded politely and let roll in one ear and out the other. But I remember ice skating in Bryant Park (never got the courage to do that!), High Line, and the Met. He spoke quite a bit of the Met and said he was involved there. He told us they had the most beautiful Christmas tree in all of New York and that the famous "Washington Crossing the Delaware" took up an entire wall. He asked about the admission price, which I proudly spoke up and said I knew it was only a suggested donation and that you pay as you wish. I think he was impressed I knew that. He said something along the lines of "The Met is a very wealthy museum. They do not need your money. Give them one dollar."
By this point, I was pretty sure this Met expert, Upper West Sider was not who he appeared to be, but I didn't know who he was. I just thought he was a friendly, wealthy New Yorker who liked to talk about his city. I wasn't really sure why he said he was a park tour guide. In fact, he hadn't told me one thing about the park itself other than the Strawberry Fields. What he actually said after delivering all of this information about the city was "Do you really believe I'm a tour guide?" I was so confused I just kind of laughed and said something without substance like "I'm not sure." At this point he pulls out his wallet (or something similar like maybe a card holder, I didn't get a good look) like he's searching for something. I think he said "here...", I can't remember, I only remember I got the impression he was about to give or show me something. He looked for a split second seemed frustrated and put it back.
Here's where it all comes together. From the words he said, his tone, and strange questions I was suspecting he was some one I should know. Thinking about what he'd said about Mr. Spielberg, listing people who lived in the San Remo, and seeing Demi Moore in the elevator, I had begun to suspect I was talking to Steven Spielberg himself. I wanted to ask so bad, but I knew if it was him he probably didn't want attention drawn. Now he kept asking if we really thought he was a tour guide and laughing like he was enjoying some little joke. And I'm pretty sure he was about to show me an ID or business card and either didn't have it or changed his mind, so it may have been okay to ask. I have to be honest though, I had no idea what Steven Spielberg looked like, and all I really knew was that he directed Jurassic Park. I had obviously heard of him and knew he was very well known, but I'm not very knowledgeable on pop culture so I don't know a whole lot. So I thought if I did ask I may make a fool of myself. However, before I had a chance to think it through he said, "I bet you're wondering who you're talking to you." The he put out his hand and said, "Hello. I'm Steven."
At that moment, my suspicions were fed even more, but I didn't want to cause a scene, so I shook his hand and introduced myself, as did my sister and cousin. When my sister said her name was Tiffany, he said "there's a very nice store that shares your name." He asked where we were staying, and when we said Brooklyn, he laughed, shook his head, and said "Oh you hipsters." (In truth, it was just because hotel rates in Manhattan at New Year's are even more outrageous than the rest of the year.) He said he hopes we enjoy the city, we said it was nice to meet you and thank you for chatting with us, then we walked off the bridge. We parted ways as he strode toward Bethesda Terrace and we went the direction of the Strawberry Fields.
As soon as he was out of sight my sister and I both looked at each other and said I think that was Steven Spielberg. Gertrude was shocked and hadn't even caught all the clues, just thought he was acting weird. J said she didn't care who he was, it was rude that he interrupted.
Later we pulled up pictures since none of us really knew what Steven Spielberg looked like. However, it is really hard to memorize the face of a stranger that quickly. I will say if it wasn't him, it was someone who looks very similar. I tried to memorize details while I was talking to him so I could compare pictures later, but all I could remember for sure were glasses and thick graying eyebrows. And he had on a hat, so that didn't help matters. I also remember his winter coat was short and dark green, but that didn't help at all. I guess it's a mystery for my lifetime, but I like to believe, and strongly suspect, that I had a conversation with Steven Spielberg, on Bow Bridge in Central Park, on a chilly New Year's Day.
Here's the scene: New Year's Day, Central Park, enjoying a stroll with my sister, cousin (who we'll call Gertrude), and friend (we'll call her J) during our NYC vacation.
We had started at the Southeast corner of the park, walked by Wollman Rink and the Dairy, watched performers at the Mall, marveled and photographed Bethesda Terrace, then had a quick lunch at the boathouse. Next stop, bow bridge. (The above photo was taken while standing on said bridge.)
My sister and I had been to New York before (and are obsessed with all things NYC, so we have researched quite a bit about the city), but this was Gertrude and J's first trip to the City. So my sister and I are pointing out a few things including the Dakota building, which you can see peeking over the top of the trees in the center of the above photo. This is the building John Lennon lived in and was shot in front of; his widow Yoko One still lives there. At the front of the building are two flames, and I had read before that this was an "eternal flame" in memory of Lennon. So one of us, I can't recall which one, was telling Gertrude and J about the eternal flame when a man stepped into the conversation and informed us that a lot of people think that, but they're actually just there for lights and are not eternal flames. Then he begins to tell us more about the Dakota building and told us a lot about John Lennon and "Yoko" (first name only) and the Strawberry Fields memorial. He said he was a volunteer park tour guide and he lives in the neighborhood on the Upper West Side so that's how he knows so much. Then he tells us about several other buildings on the Upper West Side. He points out the San Remo building (the two towers on the right side of the picture through the trees) and says a lot of celebrities live there. He asks if we've heard of a famous movie director named Steven Spielberg. I kind of laugh and say yeah, I've heard of him. He tells us that Mr. Spielberg lives there. He tells us several others who live there and around the neighborhood. He says that Bruce Willis bought the top of one of the towers of the San Remo for Demi Moore, and later Demi and Ashton Kutcher lived there together. He says that Demi Moore kind of keeps to herself, and when he sees her in the elevator she usually stands int he corner and doesn't speak.
Pause right here. Does Central Park even have volunteer tour guides? I don't know. This guy knows a lot of stuff, but I'm not sure I'm buying that someone who lives in the same neighborhood as all these celebrities spends time as a tour guide. Also, if he's seen Demi Moore in the elevator, does he live in the San Remo building? I'm pretty sure average joes don't just live in the San Remo. So this is a little fishy.
By this point in the conversation, or rather as soon as this guy started speaking, J walked away off the bridge. She thought it was incredibly rude that this guy interrupted our conversation and doesn't want to listen to anymore. This becomes quite humorous when we finally figure out who this guy may be. It didn't really bother me that he interrupted. I love speaking to New Yorkers and learning more about the city from them. I've found they are much friendlier and willing to share than most people think. I very rarely ask, but I guess people can tell I'm from out of town and many initiate the conversation. This made me skeptical at first as I've heard too much about crime and pickpockets in New York City, but I have yet to have anything stolen (knock on wood). I'm very careful about keeping my bag close and secure, but everyone I've encountered just seems to want to chat.
Anyway, back to the story. This mysterious "tour guide" (who by the way had nothing on to identify him with the park, just a regular winter coat and hat, but maybe it was "his day off," I don't remember if he said), he tells us about other parts of the city. He recommended we ice skate in Bryant Park, because "there's nothing like skating in the middle of the city." He recommends the High Line (going to that when I go back next summer), and several other things I don't recall. The only ones that stuck in my mind are the ones I hadn't done, things I had already experienced I just nodded politely and let roll in one ear and out the other. But I remember ice skating in Bryant Park (never got the courage to do that!), High Line, and the Met. He spoke quite a bit of the Met and said he was involved there. He told us they had the most beautiful Christmas tree in all of New York and that the famous "Washington Crossing the Delaware" took up an entire wall. He asked about the admission price, which I proudly spoke up and said I knew it was only a suggested donation and that you pay as you wish. I think he was impressed I knew that. He said something along the lines of "The Met is a very wealthy museum. They do not need your money. Give them one dollar."
By this point, I was pretty sure this Met expert, Upper West Sider was not who he appeared to be, but I didn't know who he was. I just thought he was a friendly, wealthy New Yorker who liked to talk about his city. I wasn't really sure why he said he was a park tour guide. In fact, he hadn't told me one thing about the park itself other than the Strawberry Fields. What he actually said after delivering all of this information about the city was "Do you really believe I'm a tour guide?" I was so confused I just kind of laughed and said something without substance like "I'm not sure." At this point he pulls out his wallet (or something similar like maybe a card holder, I didn't get a good look) like he's searching for something. I think he said "here...", I can't remember, I only remember I got the impression he was about to give or show me something. He looked for a split second seemed frustrated and put it back.
Here's where it all comes together. From the words he said, his tone, and strange questions I was suspecting he was some one I should know. Thinking about what he'd said about Mr. Spielberg, listing people who lived in the San Remo, and seeing Demi Moore in the elevator, I had begun to suspect I was talking to Steven Spielberg himself. I wanted to ask so bad, but I knew if it was him he probably didn't want attention drawn. Now he kept asking if we really thought he was a tour guide and laughing like he was enjoying some little joke. And I'm pretty sure he was about to show me an ID or business card and either didn't have it or changed his mind, so it may have been okay to ask. I have to be honest though, I had no idea what Steven Spielberg looked like, and all I really knew was that he directed Jurassic Park. I had obviously heard of him and knew he was very well known, but I'm not very knowledgeable on pop culture so I don't know a whole lot. So I thought if I did ask I may make a fool of myself. However, before I had a chance to think it through he said, "I bet you're wondering who you're talking to you." The he put out his hand and said, "Hello. I'm Steven."
At that moment, my suspicions were fed even more, but I didn't want to cause a scene, so I shook his hand and introduced myself, as did my sister and cousin. When my sister said her name was Tiffany, he said "there's a very nice store that shares your name." He asked where we were staying, and when we said Brooklyn, he laughed, shook his head, and said "Oh you hipsters." (In truth, it was just because hotel rates in Manhattan at New Year's are even more outrageous than the rest of the year.) He said he hopes we enjoy the city, we said it was nice to meet you and thank you for chatting with us, then we walked off the bridge. We parted ways as he strode toward Bethesda Terrace and we went the direction of the Strawberry Fields.
As soon as he was out of sight my sister and I both looked at each other and said I think that was Steven Spielberg. Gertrude was shocked and hadn't even caught all the clues, just thought he was acting weird. J said she didn't care who he was, it was rude that he interrupted.
Later we pulled up pictures since none of us really knew what Steven Spielberg looked like. However, it is really hard to memorize the face of a stranger that quickly. I will say if it wasn't him, it was someone who looks very similar. I tried to memorize details while I was talking to him so I could compare pictures later, but all I could remember for sure were glasses and thick graying eyebrows. And he had on a hat, so that didn't help matters. I also remember his winter coat was short and dark green, but that didn't help at all. I guess it's a mystery for my lifetime, but I like to believe, and strongly suspect, that I had a conversation with Steven Spielberg, on Bow Bridge in Central Park, on a chilly New Year's Day.