New Yorkers are not rude people. It’s just that we can get
through the day without a lot of extraneous chitchat. We can communicate with
each other with a quick chin lift, a head nod, and if need be, a series of
simple yet eloquent hand gestures. When I first began travelling outside the
City, I was baffled by the strangers who spoke to me for what seemed like no
reason. ‘Good morning?’ What the hell is that supposed to mean? Is this a set
up? What kind of scam are you running here?
