Metropolitan Diary
Tosca
Dear Diary:
We were returning from a vacation in Spain. Our first stop was on West Broadway to retrieve our African gray parrot, Tosca. From there we took a taxi to our Nassau Street home.
As we exited the cab in front of our building, we were greeted by the familiar cacophony of horns, sirens and bustling people. My wife spied a fresh fruit cart on the corner near Pace University.
“I’ll be right back,” she said as she walked away with Tosca on her shoulder.
Suddenly, I heard her yell, “Tosca, Tosca,” and saw her running down Park Place with people following her and yelling, “Oscar, Oscar.”
A gust of wind had apparently lifted Tosca off her shoulder and was carrying her down the street.
She soon landed and began to screech: “Taxiiii, taxiiiiiii.”
“Is that pigeon calling a taxi?” a woman who appeared somewhat bewildered said.
Yes, indeed. We had taught Tosca to say “taxiii” when she wanted to be carried around our loft.
Luckily, my wife reached Tosca before any harm came to her, offered her a finger and then carried her home amid cheers and laughter from those who had gathered to watch.
— Penny Bamford
Friendly Driver
Dear Diary:
I was getting on an M5 bus going downtown from Columbia. I was on a call with my husband and hauling a suitcase, which made it difficult to use my phone to pay the fare.
“I love you,” my husband said as I fumbled with the phone.
“I love you too,” the bus driver said.
— Simone Pinet
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/nyregion/metropolitan-diary.html