HARLEM's CALLING

by Jared Alexander (United States of America)

I didn't expect to find USA

A year ago my girlfriend presented me with the surprise of a lifetime right before my 30th birthday. She had been planning it for quite awhile but made every effort to surprise me in the most imaginative way possible. Several weeks before my birthday, she approached me in my office and told me to close my eyes before handing me a gift. I opened my eyes, genuinely surprised to receive something so far in advance. Upon looking at her, she urged me to open it and so I did, finding a customized letter inside with my name on it. As I opened the letter I realized it was a replica of a Hogwarts Express ticket from Harry Potter but instead of the destination being set for the fictional school of witchcraft and wizardry it was scheduled for somewhere even more magical that I had been waiting my entire life to go but had never had the chance, New York City. Born and raised in Los Angeles, it's always been a dream of mine to make my way out to the East Coast. I was so excited and had no idea she had been planning this trip that I shed tears of joy. This was so much more than a gift, it was a chance to learn about my history and visit the home of one of my biggest heroes, my grandfather. Raised in Harlem, my grandfather became a man of many wonders creating a legacy that's inspired generations. A former Superior Court Judge, he passed away several years ago and I never had a chance until now to visit his home half way across the country. I couldn't have been more excited as I knew being able to spend time in his hometown would help me feel closer to him than I had in years. Upon our arrival in New York, my girlfriend and I checked into our room and then it was off to the races, a week abroad in the city of dreams. With so much to do and so little time, I didn't know where to start. Luckily for me, my girlfriend had already scheduled an itinerary for our stay starting with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We spent an entire day in the museum and even that was not enough time to uncover all of its hidden treasures. Over the next couple of days, we explored several other parts of the city including Times Square, Union Station, Yankee Stadium, Brooklyn and even touring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island where I was able to trace back my family's history to my great grandmothers arrival in the states back in the early 1920s. After checking off most of the boxes on our list, it was finally time to go to the one place I had been looking forward to most, my grandfather's home in Harlem. After acquiring the address from my mother, my girlfriend and I were on our way. We walked several blocks throughout the neighborhood taking in all of the beautiful art and architecture that's spanned so many generations until finally we arrived at the doorstep where it all started for my family. I climbed the stoop and sat on the very same set of stairs my grandfather spent countless days of his childhood playing on nearly 100 years ago. As I sat there I remembered all the stories my grandfather would tell me and I could feel him with me, picturing his unforgettable smile as he reminisced the happy memories of his childhood. He had so much love for the city of Harlem and finally being there I truly began to understand why. The richness of color, culture and history spread throughout the city makes it an unforgettable experience unlike any other, from the murals plastered on the walls to the bleachers of Rucker Park where some of the most legendary athletes of all time have made their name. I never thought that somewhere I had never been could feel so much like home and as I sat on those stairs I started to smile, happy to know I'd finally been able to answer my grandfather and Harlem's calling.