175 St

On the Grid : A Train Last Stop

"There is a subway conductor on the A train, that says things such as, 'Have a beautiful day' or 'Have a warm and cozy weekend.' I have not met him, but I love him. I want to thank him for being so cheerful and making my days more pleasant. If you take the A train to the last stop, you might find him here. Inwood is OK with being on the edge of forgotten. 'It's nice up there,' people will say, having never visited. But Inwood is nice! It is not a neighborhood to be trivialized as a piece of 'upstate,' but simply the northern tip of a diverse borough. We do not tell our friends that Brooklyn is far. We are used to falling asleep and never missing our stop. We are used to traveling to see our friends or for work. To our neighbors in the Bronx, we are close. Walkable, close. We sympathize with their struggles for coolness in commute. We wave hello across the Henry Hudson Bridge. So, buckle up, friends. Last stop. 200 plus blocks. You've done amazing work. Congratulations. May your trip back downtown prove to be beautiful. I hope you've brought a book. I hope you love to read. I hope you've enjoyed your stay." - Jeanne Henry