The Big Apple

I felt the sunshine on my arms while we waited for a New York taxi outside JFK airport. It was the end of April and the weather was wonderful. I needed an accessible vehicle, which actually wasn’t a big deal. The city we had just landed in happened to be very accessible, which makes my life exponentially easier. Mom, Dad, and David were with me and we were going to be there for two days.

            JFK airport seemed as massive as Ohare which we had flown out of. There were fountains with water in different colors as water sprayed up and down. David had talked to the guy at the taxi service. My brother set us up for success already telling the guy we needed the taxi to be ready for a wheelchair.

            After checking into our hotel in Manhattan, we had dinner and went straight to bed knowing that we had a packed schedule the next day.

The first thing on our agenda when we woke was to visit to The Morgan Library and Museum. They had an exhibit on Belle da Costa Greene. Thanks to ChatGPT, I was able to get a succinct summary of her life. Here’s a little overview:

Belle da Costa Greene (1879–1950) was a prominent American librarian who managed and expanded J.P. Morgan’s private collection into a world-class public library. Born to African American parents, she passed as white to succeed in a racially segregated society. Known for her expertise in rare books and illuminated manuscripts, she became the first director of the Morgan Library and transformed it into a major cultural institution. Despite her public success, she kept her racial identity secret and destroyed her personal papers before her death.

Belle's Desk

I read The Personal Librarian in January and ended up asking my parents if we could go to NYC to see the exhibit. I loved it and would recommend any book about her, especially The Personal Librarian. It’s historical fiction, and the authors do an excellent job of telling her story.

The museum was gorgeous with artifacts of Belle's life on display from photographs of her
parents and the desk she used while working at the museum. All of the objects were incredible to see in person.

After that outstanding exhibit, we headed to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He’s my favorite late-night talk show host. His dry wit makes me laugh out loud.

When we arrived, my dad asked the staff if all four of us could go in instead of just David and me. I had only managed to get two tickets. Those of you who know my father know he could persuade a turtle to walk quickly. Wearing a polo shirt and gladiator sunglasses, the ticket guy quickly agreed. The website made it seem impossible, but realistically, it was no problem. This is why we still need people—not just computers—running things.

The Colbert show was great but had some issues. He interviewed a CNN anchor who was fine, but the celebrity guest was supposed to be Will Ferrell. We were super excited! Colbert came on stage, graciously took some questions, and then quickly told us that Will Ferrell had canceled. In my opinion, that’s incredibly rude. If 200 people are expecting you, you show up! I don’t care if everyone knows your name—keep your commitments. Colbert still did his monologue, took questions for 20 minutes because of the no show by Ferrell, and then he went into his interview.

When the show aired that night, Will Ferrell was on and Colbert was in a different suit while he and Ferrell joked around. Something happened. Just saying. Also, Colbert could have been more gracious and explained the cancellation thoroughly. If you’re the face of the show, you’re responsible for everything that happens. You have to man up and explain why your show isn’t as advertised. He just ran off stage after announcing the cancellation. I call that cowardly. The show was entertaining even without Ferrell, and I would recommend going. Just don’t expect transparency if things go wrong.

New York was absolutely wonderful. I’m so grateful my family turned it into a vacation—we had a blast. The Big Apple truly is the perfect place for a quick, unforgettable escape.