Taylor Love Tells All: Commuter Train Chronicles: "The Only Child" Part I...

Taylor Love Tells All: Commuter Train Chronicles: "The Only Child" Part I...:     ~From Yesterday~  We're pulling in to Penn Station in New York, and all of a sudden I get an uneasy queasy f...

Commuter Train Chronicles: "The Only Child" Part II

   

~From Yesterday~

We're pulling in to Penn Station in New York, and all of a sudden I get an uneasy queasy feeling in my stomach. My mind keeps going back to why it took so long for her Will to be disclosed. I’m sure it was some legal mumbo-jumbo. I instinctively check my purse. I hear so many horror stories about how ladies fall asleep on the train and wake up to their belongings GONE! Okay, no one took my purse while I was sleep. I checked the contents, okay nothing was missing.

I stood up and bumped my head on the overhead compartment. I'm awake for sure now.

I looked behind me and Missy had already headed for the exit. Oh well, bye Missy.

 

 

~Part II~

 

 

Good grief, people are everywhere. One of the great things about New York is you can always catch a cab. I check my watch and it’s only 12:30pm, plenty of time to get a piece of pizza from my spot across the street. I can’t claim it’s the best pizza in New York but it is damn cheesy and yummy. “Give me a slice of veggie with extra cheese and a Pepsi. Thanks” “Do you mind if I share this table with you?”  I ask a gentleman that is visibly on his lunch hour. He motions for me to sit down and I realize he’s having a conversation on his Bluetooth. You’re so cool on your little Bluetooth, and wearing your Brooks Brothers suit. I’ll admit it, I’m a name whore, so sue me.

 

Alright time to hit the pavement. I step out in front of the joint and flag down a cab. As always, split second timing. I jump in and off I go, “600 3^rd Avenue please.”

 

I press the up elevator button still feeling a little nauseous. My heart is racing now. I’m trying not to think about the Will; how much money am I getting, was there property I didn’t know about, businesses, stock portfolios…. “The fourteenth floor” says the elevator voice lady.

I haven’t been to my Uncle Aaron’s offices for quite some time. It’s quite daunting with large mahogany doors, brass door handles, and the smell of expensive leather.  “Hey Sherry, I’m here to see my Uncle Aaron.”  “It’s good to see you again Eva, it’s been a while. How’ve you been?”  “Good, good. No complaints.”  Sherry is really nice but I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. I plopped my behind in one of the leather chairs facing the conference room.  I could see Uncle Aaron talking to some young lady sitting at the table. Wait a minute, I recognized that red coat from the train. He waived and I stared at him quizzically. I could only see the back of her, that red coat, and that ponytail. What the hell is going on here.

 

The buzz from Sherry’s phone got my attention.  “Eva, Mr. Rappaport will see you now.” I looked at Sherry then back at the conference room where my Uncle motioned for me to enter, then looked at Sherry again. She shrugged her shoulders as if she could read my mind.  Who the hell was that in there and why was she sitting in on the reading of my Mom’s Will.

 

“Eva, how was your trip from DC?” “Fine” I said curtly looking at the young lady directly in the face.  She looked at Aaron.  “Well ladies, there is no easy way to say this, Eva, Ava meet your sister.”

 

Taylor Love Tells All: Commuter Train Chronicles: "The Only Child" Part ...

Taylor Love Tells All: Commuter Train Chronicles: "The Only Child" Part ...: "The Only Child"  I'm in an Uber racing towards Union Station to catch an Amtrak train from DC to New ...

Commuter Train Chronicles: "The Only Child" Part I

"The Only Child" 

I'm in an Uber racing towards Union Station to catch an Amtrak train from DC to New York for a 2pm meeting at the law offices of Aaron Rappaport & Feinstein. My play uncle Timothy Aaron is a partner there and he’s also the Executor of my Mom's estate.  My Mom died six months ago peacefully in her sleep (I thank the Lord for that) and her estate has been in sealed probate ever since and now he is ready to release the conditions of her Will. Finally, I can get some closure.

 

I've lived a pretty charmed life being the only child of my Father, a wealthy French Architect & an African-American New York socialite mother.  I attended the best schools, had the best friends, the best clothes, the best everything. But at the end of the day, they’re all accessories.  My family is where I got and still get my most joy. I’ve lived in DC for about seven or eight years now. I decided to stay after graduating from Georgetown University with a Masters in Art and Museum Studies. My job allows me a lot of freedom and flexibility; all my accounts are on the east coast, so it was a win-win for me. I was able to visit my Mom in New York while loving my time in DC without the crazy hustle and bustle of a major metropolis like New York.  DC can be pretty busy too, but it’s a different busy. It’s a comforting and warm busy.

 

I never wanted for anything and grew up on sure footing. I certainly don't need the money, my Dad made sure of that.  He died six years ago, almost one year to the day he and my Mom divorced and he left me and my Mom pretty well off. He moved to Chicago to work on some major architectural project a few years before the divorce, and the divorce seemed pretty amicable to me. He’d never been in the home much; always traveling from here to there so the divorce didn’t come as a shock to me. But it did come as bit of a shock to find out that my Mom's Will was sealed until an undetermined date, that's all my Uncle Aaron would tell me, "patience Eva, patience." So I waited, and two days ago I got the call. "Eva, I need you to be here next Wednesday at 2pm for the unsealing of your Mom's Will."  "I'll be there Uncle Aaron, I will definitely be there!"

 

As I stood on the platform a flash of red caught my eye. About a foot from me stood a woman, about my height, weight and complexion but about 10 years older. She had a slick black ponytail similar to mine, but I have bang. She was sporting a fierce red wool, high color coat with huge and I mean huge gold metallic buttons. And the boots! Black thigh high, black leather, with a block gold heel. Oh, and there’s more! On her shoulder was a white Hermes Birkin Bag. Oh yeah, I know my shit. Damn, she caught me staring.

 

Thankfully the train pulled in just in time. Amtrak is notorious for being late and having issues. Maybe I shouldn't say that, but it's true.

 

Because I’ve caught this train so many times before I was strategically standing on the platform where I knew the doors would open. My new friend in my head was standing just to the right of me. Sorry Missy but I’ll be getting on first. Hopefully we’ll sit in the same car where I get a better look at her. I know it seems a bit stalker-ish but hell what else do I have to do?

 

I boarded the train and found a seat near a window and stared at the wintery DC landscape as we sped away. As cold as it was in DC I knew New York would be twice as cold. Damn I should have gone to the dining car to get some tea before we pulled off. There is no way in hell I'm gonna move now and loose this premier seat.

 

Missy (that’s what I’ve decided to call her) sat in the seat directly behind me. As she slid in her seat she hit me in the damn head with her fancy Birkin bag. “Excuse me,” I said over my shoulder, shooting her the stink eye. You’re not that cute Missy. “No worries” she said. What does she mean “no worries,” she’s the one that hit me in the damn head.

 

I guess I dozed off at some point and woke to the attendant nudging my shoulder. Is that what they're called, the attendant? I try to be mindful of people’s titles. People are so touchy these days.

 

We're pulling in to Penn Station in New York, and all of a sudden I get an uneasy queasy feeling in my stomach. My mind keeps going back to why it took so long for her Will to be disclosed. I’m sure it was some legal mumbo-jumbo. I instinctively check my purse. I hear so many horror stories about how ladies fall asleep on the train and wake up to their belongings GONE! Okay, no one took my purse while I was sleep. I checked the contents, okay nothing was missing.

I stood up and bumped my head on the overhead compartment. I'm awake for sure now.

 

I looked behind me and Missy had already headed for the exit. Oh well, bye Missy.

~Check Back Tomorrow for Part II ~

 





Do What Makes You Happy

It's the end of the work week and a good time to reflect. If you're like most of us the week starts on Monday, sitting in rush hour traffic or catching the train to our 9 - 5 day jobs.  We move through the day mindlessly and pick up our purses, hats and coats and sit in rush hour traffic or catch the train back home, only to do it all again the following day.

We've all heard the sayings "Life is Short," and "Tomorrow isn't Promised," and they are both true. So I ask that each of you take a moment or moments each day that are just for you. For me it's first thing in the morning when I make a cup of tea and pull out my journal and write down my hopes, my dreams, what I want for the day, for my future and what happened the day before. I write funny things about myself, I release things that make me sad and I start my day feeling fresh and energized. At the end of the day I run a lavender bubble bath and wash it all away.

When we are happy we are at our best. Happiness is different for all of us but when you are happy you exude positive energy which means you will attract the same.

Watching you at your happiest sets an example to others. Misery loves company and so does happiness. Who would you rather be around?

Happiness breads healthiness; happier people are healthier people. Misery attracts negative energy and negativity will manifest in your body and create health issues.

So today and everyday do something that makes you happy.