Golden Boy

N I N E

Jace led us towards the Columbus Circle subway station—my favorite subway station because of the underground market. Whenever my family and I would visit, it felt like being in on a little secret when visiting the shops. Columbus Circle during the winter is always a sight to see because of all the Holiday decorations and lights strung up on the lampposts and trees. This part of the city was familiar to me and a bit nostalgic so I felt safe being here even though I was with Jace and Bev. 

Bev pulled out a metro card and swiped to get through the turnstile, which I thought was out of character for him, considering that he just illegally parked his car for free in a garage. I think it would have been more consistent for him to jump the turnstile, like most of the adrenaline-seeking kids did in New York City. 

He handed the same metro card to Jace who swiped and then he passed it to me. I was astonished, but took the card anyway and paid for my entrance. I had a feeling that I would constantly be surprised by these two.

Instead of going on to one of the platforms, Jace veered towards the left of the station, and I immediately knew we were headed to the shops. I suppressed my excitement to not give away how happy I was to return to my favorite part of the City. I walked, flanked by Bev and Jace, trying to keep it cool, but really I wanted to run ahead to my favorite shop that sold the best chocolate chip cookies in the nation. My dad always made a point to stop there on our way out of the station every time so that we could have fresh baked cookies for the ride home. 

I was saddened when we walked past every shop, even the one with the cookies, and finally stopped at a dead-end where the last shop was located in the corner, farther away from the rest of them. The shop was heavily curtained and didn't contain the festive holiday decorations that the rest of the shops did. From the outside, I could tell that it was poorly lit and almost abandoned from the lack of life coming in and out. 

Bev ducked in first and motioned for us to wait for him. I turned to Jace who stood, stone-faced, keeping a lookout for our surroundings. He didn't say anything, so I stayed quiet as well. I wasn't sure what business this lifeless shop could offer them, but I also wasn't eager to find out. Even from just standing outside, the shop managed to give me the creeps.

Bev eventually came out and motioned for us to follow him in. I hesitated to take a step in, so Jace grabbed my arm and pulled me inside, and shut the curtain behind us. 

It was the size of a small bedroom, like most of the shops down here. One wall was lined with shelves that contained jars from the top of the ceiling to the bottom. Another was completely covered in mirrors of all different shapes and sizes, which made the room seem bigger than it actually was. The three of us stood shoulder to shoulder in the cramped room. An old man, wrapped up in a worn-out grey scarf with visible holes and a black wool hat, sat on a stool in the corner by the jars. On his right, was a door with gold chains stringed across it that stood slightly open. 

Bev handed a small pouch to the man and then motioned for us to follow him through the door. Jace went straight in, and I quickly followed not wanting to be left behind with the old man who had eyed me hungrily when I first stepped in.

Through the door, was a pair of steep concrete steps leading down to a dark hallway. Bev led the way with his flashlight, allowing me to see where I was stepping in order not to fall. I noticed that the stairs looked newly paved and well kept, which was something I wouldn't have expected for a pair of stairs hidden behind a secret door.  

At the bottom, we found ourselves in a long, dark narrow hallway with the only light coming from an opening at the end.

After what felt like an eternity, we crossed the hallway and passed the threshold into a large indoor market. The ceilings were at least as tall as the length of a football field. The tree at Rockefeller could have easily fit in here with extra space on top. The floor contained three rows of glass-paned shops, each the length and width of a minivan. They seemed like they could only house maybe two or three people at a time, but when I peeped inside the ones we passed, there were easily at least ten people already present in some even as more people walked in.