I was in New York last week for an industry conference. It’s one that I’ve attended for a few years now, and the trip is usually my one and only trip to NY each year. I wasn’t able to get out that much this time – a couple of dinners out with friends was about all, and everything was within a few blocks of the hotel, if not right across the street. So that’s about the extent of how much of the city I got to see this time. But in years past I’ve tacked on a couple of days of fun and taken friends along. Our adventures have included Broadway shows, cocktails at the Algonquin, walks through Central Park, standing in line for hours for SNL tickets (unsuccessfully), and hours of shopping followed by cheesecake to restore our strength. Those are the best trips.

Every time I go there, there are things I have to adjust to. For example, I walk pretty fast for Charleston, but I move like snail compared to New Yorkers. I just have to pick up the pace there unless I want to get stuck in a revolving door.

The other thing that I always have to get used to is how friendly New Yorkers are – to me, to others, to each other. It always surprises me for some reason, and I don’t know why. Probably too many episodes of Law and Order. But they’re genuinely nice. And not just the folks in the hotels and restaurants, but locals who might bump into you walking down the street (when you’re walking too slowly) or the lady behind the counter at the corner Duane Reed.

Coming home on this particular trip, my Delta desk agent lit up when she saw on my license that I’m from Charleston. She asked if I was excited about “that new reality show coming out soon about people from Charleston”. I told her I was not particularly interested in it, and that it seemed to me people might get the wrong idea about Charlestonians from watching it.

“Yeah, you seem pretty friendly, not snobby at all. Well, have a wonderful trip home…and thank you for visiting New York.”