My published work thus far has truly varied: an academic piece on water privatization, a trip to the grocery store via flash fiction, and now a chaotic piece full of sensory detail. “New York City Magic” is now live on the W(h)iskey Tit website.
This short piece (less than 500 words) was inspired by my time in New York City. I lived there for about five months during an internship at the U.N. and I started off with an idealistic view of the city. I pictured a magical place full of culture and exciting people, and though the city did hold those things, my idealistic image dimmed after a few weeks of crowded commutes, aggressive cat-calling, and being surrounded by blocks of concrete.
But there would be glimpses of the magic I’d originally dreamed about like during a night ride in the backseat of a cab or wandering through one of the holiday markets with a cup of cider, taking a sip right as it began to snow. This piece of flash fiction is meant to capture one of those perfect, fleeting moments where the magic came alive again.
The first line might still be my favorite: “The city flew past the window, the lights blurring and forming a kaleidoscope of colors, dizzying and tumbling through my giddy, bubbled-up brain.”
