Politics
‘A Woman in the Middle of the Crowded Car Began to Hyperventilate.’
Calming a subway panic attack, contemplating a Bronx bullfrog and more reader tales of New York City in this week’s Metropolitan Diary.
Total Focus
Dear Diary:
It had been raining in the city for two days straight, and I was on my way to Times Square for the opening night of a film festival.
I waded into the Seventh Avenue subway at 14th Street, but the 1, 2 and 3 trains were all shut down because of flooding.
I splashed my way across to the Eighth Avenue trains. An A was waiting but delayed. The doors kept opening and shutting. I finally managed to squeeze inside a car tightly packed with riders.
Suddenly, the train lurched forward. A woman in the middle of the crowded car began to hyperventilate.
“Let me out!” she yelled. “I have to get out. I can’t stay here.”
Recognizing that she was having a panic attack, people sprang into action. Somehow, space opened up around her. Someone lowered a window. Someone else produced a bottle of water.
And then a man holding a wand jumped directly in front of the woman.
“Watch the wand closely,” he said. “I promise it will be OK. I’m just going to lightly hypnotize you.”
