Hobbits in New York: The Adventurers

“There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter — the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. 
...Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion. ” 
― E.B. White, Here Is New York


When I lived in New York in the 1970's I noticed that there were certain groups of people who really  loved living in New York, who lived every day as if they had won a prize just living there--people from Kansas and people from the South. Of course, this was a self selected population, for the most part--these people had come from someplace to this place, looking for something.

But there were always those upon whom New York City was forced--they had to move there for a job and they either loved it or hated it.

A nephew is one of those--he was born and raised in North Carolina but recently his job moved him to New York City.  The family held its collective breath. We have all read the Hobbit stories--the creature who is living happily in his shire, who is forced to venture forth and meets danger he never asked for.

Now, there is much more to his story. His brothers were, in financial and professional terms intimidatingly successful. One became a plastic surgeon, but was not content with that--went out and got a MBA and is currently in the process of taking over a healthcare delivery system. The other, an architect by training and a developer by choice is now by far the richest member of our family going back to the Neanderthals.

The nephew in question was clearly very bright. For one thing, he loved and understood calculus, which, if you've ever tried it, you know nobody should love or understand unless his name is isaac Newton.  He is also left handed, which means he sees life differently. After college, he began his career teaching special education students and he loved the work, loved the kids.  

But then he asked an extraordinarily beautiful woman to marry him. She said yes, but her father sat the boy down and explained that, objectively, this woman was going to have all sorts of choices in life, if only because of her obvious physical attributes and as a special ed teacher, he may not be in a position to compete.  He considered that, but married her any way. Somewhere along the line he decided maybe he'd better expand his options, took some on line courses, then some other courses and then he took the CPA exam and passed all four parts on the first try, something I am told is unusual.

Now he works for one of the biggest accountant firms in the world and he flies to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and he's been transferred to New York City.

His brothers were aghast. How would he cope with the culture shock?

He coped by selling his cars, moving to mid town and he now walks to work. He walks everywhere, across the Brooklyn bridge, into Central Park. He has discovered a diner where they cut the salmon for your bagel right off the fish in front of you and serve it with a halapeno cream cheese so hot it brings tears to your eyes.  

His kids have discovered the Lego store, the Museum of Natural History and his wife is holding off judgment.

There are certain people in life who have the spirit of adventure. He is one. 
A neighbor has a son who graduated from the local town high school and launched himself off to China, where he is finishing a degree at a Chinese university, speaking fluent Chinese and he has a Chinese girlfriend.

These are the adventurers who will carry America forward. There is a certain courage, mixed with curiosity and daring, the same qualities which set Marco Polo and Columbus and Neil Armstrong on their paths. 

Some Hobbits go forth because they have to and others because they are restless and reject the shire which spawned them. But they all find themselves on the Big Voyage, and that will make all the difference.