Three Symphony Concerts

When I lived in Brussels, Belgium, I grew tired of hearing foreigners complain.

A Frenchman told me, “Brussels is dull; it is not like Paris where I can buy elegant clothes in every neighborhood of the city.”  A Dutchman told me, “Brussels is dull; it is not like Amsterdam where I can dance all night because the clubs are open until dawn.”

I grew very tired of hearing complaints.

An Englishman told me, “Brussels is dull; it is not like London, where I can go to three symphony concerts in one night.”

Enough is enough.  I looked the Englishman in the eye and said, “Try as I might, I have never been able to attend more than one symphony concert in a single night.”

But when I left Brussels and moved back to the United States, I started to understand what the Englishman was talking about, because New York City was struggling.

It was the 1970’s. 

On a large scale, New York City was struggling with the possibility of bankruptcy.  On a medium scale, graffiti artists started to spray messages on subway cars.  On a small scale, the phone system was inadequate and it was hard to get a dial tone in the city.

In the midst of New York’s troubles, a reporter hit the streets and interviewed city residents.  “What makes you want to live in New York?”

The first resident responded, “Why, we have the Metropolitan Opera!”  “What is the last opera you saw there?”  “I have never seen an opera.”

Second resident, “Why, we have the Statue of Liberty!!”  “When is the last time you visited the Statue?”  “My parents took me there when I was six years old.”

Third resident, “Why, we have Central Park!!!”  “When is the last time you visited the park?”  “Oh, I don’t go there because it is too dangerous.”

After hearing these interviews, I started to realize that these New York City residents may not visit the opera, the statue, or the park --- but they have the option to do so.  They could visit these places if they wanted, and that fact gave them re-assurance that they were living in a worthwhile place.  They had options.

I then understood that the Englishman in Brussels did not have the option of choosing amongst three symphony concerts in one night.  By moving from London to Brussels, he had lost his options, and the Englishman felt deprived.

I started to regret that I had made a flip comment to him.

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NOTE: Doug's best stories have been collected into a book: Puppy Out Of Breath.  Price = $11.  You can purchase a copy at  http://www.puppyoutofbreath.com