December 31, 2007.

Running up the stairway from the "E" train, Lance makes a dash across 40th street before the light changed. Walking in the street on the curb he couldn't help but notice how light traffic was. It was a good thing too, since the barricades that extended as far down as 38th made it impossible for him to get back onto the sidewalk from the middle of the block.

He imagined all the fanfare and celebration that would be going on in just a few hours only blocks away- probably the biggest party in the world. He imagined the confetti and sparkling lights. He imagined the heat of the throngs of celebrants massed together in what is for all intents and purposes the center of the universe- Times Square.

People would be coming from all over the just for this. He saw two cute white girls standing in front of Ressi-May's Soul Food Restaurant jabbering away in what he recognized as Australian accents. He considered jumping over the barricade to chat them up but he had to get to the office. As he made the corner a family of German-speaking tourists and their ungainly luggage caused him to miss the light. Waiting impatiently for the signal to cross, he tried to tune out the group of loud Long Islanders behing him, many in their hockey jerseys, talking about how much drinking they were going to be doing tonight.

Finally having made it to the front dor of te office, he's greeted by one of his co-workers. "Good morning, Mr. Link", he says.

"Good morning, Hector", he replies cheerfully. "Happy New Year."

He stops for a second before going inside. An unfamiliar heaviness of a sort grows in his chest. He looks up at the small sliver of blue sky afforded by the surrounding skyscrapers. Maybe next year, he thinks to himself. Maybe next year.