The one train has been crawling lately, dripping along its tracks and moving in slow motion from 50^th to 42^nd street as olive oil slides down the face of a wooden spoon. Where usually, train delays incite outrage and exasperated snorts from manhattans myriad of MTA patrons, through this particular passageway, there is little complaint. Along this line, there is an air of awestruck admiration seemingly inspired by the illuminated passageway that takes the train to times square after making its fiftieth street stop.

Once we’ve all stood clear of the closing doors, after the quiet has settled in the car and the train has lurched forward, the usual passage into darkness is unsettled by a series of white bubble-like lights that hang from the scaffolding to help construction workers repair the express train tracks. The effect is less perfunctory than magical however, and it transforms a habitual trip downtown into a near adventure. Perhaps that’s a bit of an extreme assertion but given a personal affinity for white lights and an adoration of all things New York, the combination of the two is enough to make me pause in admiration of the city that never fails to inspire a smile alongside a little bit of fairy tale tinted wonder.