Aug 25, 2007 | What a world we live in

It's 86°F outside but it feels much hotter. I'm on 40th street, Brian Adams streaming into my ears, and the Fifth Avenue crowd is eager to walk into the stores to escape the devilish heat.

On the sidewalk a relatively nodescript pretzel stand is parked, and it doesn't seem to be getting a lot of customers today. Oh, but there is one guy- bedgralled, his hair gray and askew, he holds a white Duane Reade bag, most likely homeless - who's getting two diet Coke's and two straws to go along, the water dripping from the outside testament to their chilled state. I doubt he paid for it, considering the grin on his face and his attire, but the smile on the stand owner's face is priceless. It makes me almost want to give $2.00 to him so that next time another guy comes along he won't feel pressed.

I walk along, a small smile on mine.

42nd street. Another pretzel stand. A guy walks up with a wad of notes and asks for a bottle of water, as I stand by the corner waiting for the stupid light to turn green. He puts down a dollar bill and the stand owner indicates it's not enough, at which point the buyer hesitates, looking at the dripping bottle of Poland Springs, and pulls out another. No emotion, no thank you, just a casual exchange.

What a world.

I head further uptown and come across the Hammacher Shlemmer, what I like to refer to as the toy store for adults. There are so many crazy, unimaginable items (like a clock that flies away?) that it seems almost laughable to consider people might actually buy them. The air conditioner is nice, the people in blazers milling around are apparently bored, and I say to myself, again:

What a world.

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