Summer 1986, the year after my first trip to New York, I went back again since the first incident. By now, I have gotten use to taking the subway train. I found New Yorkers actually very helpful, everytime I open a map, someone would ask me whereI wanted to go and gave me directions.
As usual, I made a trip to Chinatown and taking the subway back to grandmom's apartment. The train arrived, the doors opened. I stepped onto the train and the woman behind me stepped on the right flip-flop I was wearing. It flipped and fell right off the train. I looked down through the gap between the train and the platform, there it was, lying right on top of the track. The train moved and I was shoeless.

Naturally I was extremely upset. The woman was very sorry and kept on apologizing and offered me $4 to compensate the loss. I refused to take her money. The flip-flops were not expensive, my loss was not money -- I was shoeless! She continued to apologize and offered the money. After the 4th time I finally accepted the money, just to make her feel better.

I got off the train, hopped my way out of the subway station. Ah, luckly the Alexander Department Store was right outside the station, I didn't have to hop too far to buy myself a pair of shoes. As I was going into the store, the doorman stopped me. "You cannot go into the store without shoes." "But that's the exact reason I want to go in!" "Sorry, I don't make the rules." He just won't let me in the store!

Luckly there were several shoe stores on the next block. I got myself a pair of black sneakers. "I don't think I'll lose this one easily." Another happy ending.