I woke up late. 

As I bustled out of my house, I ran into my corner deli and said, “I’ll have a bagel, please.” Time was speeding by, yet the bagel had not even been cut. I tapped my foot again and again on the tiled floor. 

“That will be four dollars.” 

Ugh, I thought to myself, inflation is making me broke. 

I gave the cashier my money, grabbed the change and ran out the door. 

“Thank you!”

As the train doors closed, I shoved my way into a dense pack of people, who stared at me with annoyance. I gave a sympathetic smile and then put on my earbuds, melting out the buzzing train car.

It was not until I got to school on time that I realized: I was your typical New Yorker. New Yorkers are fast walking, unfazed, and quick to ignore others. It is rare to spot a New Yorker conversing with a stranger, let alone a cashier. 

I wondered, who was this cashier that handed me my bagel?

In my daily commute, how many people did I look in the eye and not even register? 

New Yorkers, who are these people who you see constantly, but know nothing about? 

At a laundromat, I’d think, will my stains wash out?

Buying myself a pack of gum, is this purchase necessary?

Stopping by a fruit stand, am I actually going to eat this?

Opening the door for a delivery guy, would I always have to tip?

But who is behind the counter, the wheel? I decided to have conversations with some of these people to highlight their perspective on their overlooked yet vital work. 

For each worker’s interview, I asked foundational questions about their background, passions, how long they have been working, and their daily work lives. 

Regina’s Grocery UES: Andrew Vazquez

Tucked in on the side street of 88th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan, Regina’s Grocery is a bustling sandwich shop that takes well-earned pride in their Italian sandwiches — bursting with juicy tomatoes, cheeses, sauces, and freshly sliced meat. The small shop never fails to be busy. The meat is thin and has that goldilocks balance of fattiness and leanness. Yet as customers sink their teeth into the soft bread, they are not thinking about the thickness of the slice. But Andrew Vazquez is. 

For over a year, Andrew has come into work to slice meat for eight hours every day. 

Andrew grew up in Harlem, New York. “Obviously being a slicer isn’t the best gig ever,” Andrew said. “Yes, you get paid, you have to have a job, but at the end of the day I feel like right now… the thing to help me keep going everyday is my dad.”

He is pushed by both his current situation and his aspirations. Andrew told me, “My dad has been in the hospital for about a little over a year now. I basically come everyday not wanting to, but in the back of my head [knowing] I got to take care of my dad or my mom…as much as I can. I got to help pay the bills, pay whatever I can. I feel like every day I come here not wanting to work and I think of them and they just push me to do whatever I want to do every day.” 

Not only is Andrew working for his family, he is planning ahead to start his very own fashion brand. “Personally, right now I am in love with Punk Era …I think that would be such a good combination with streetwear,” Andrew said. “You could say I have a passion for fashion, not to sound cliché.” 

Slicing meat is not for the weak. “One wrong move you have a very deep cut in your finger, and that is one of the most painful cuts you will probably ever have,” Andrew explained. He reminds himself that every slice of meat, every day, his dreams are becoming more possible. “If you really want to start something and get yourself out of the position you are currently in, use your time wisely, get a job, invest your money in stuff that you really want to do for your future. Don’t just use your job as a momentary thing…always look at things in the most positive way possible.”

As you stroll past a sandwich shop, hearing the hum of the hands slicing and preparing sandwiches, think of Andrew. After the next amazing sandwich you eat, let the worker know you appreciate it. As Andrew said, “you might not be appreciating me exactly, but you are appreciating something that I’ve actually put my time and dedication and love into.”

The Mat: Ana Rodriguez

For my entire life, I have routinely gone into The Mat. The rhythm of the water swashing against the laundry door, rickety carts wheeling across the tiled floor is built into my earliest memories. When I was as tall as the cart, I remember Ana smiling at my dad as I watched him put our clothes in the wash. As I got older, and taller, my parents made me go alone. Preoccupied with my annoyance to do a chore, I blurred out my surroundings and did not wave to Ana. When the washing machine overflowed because I put too much soap in, Ana helped me. When my money was not registering, Ana solved the problem. She was a part of little things I was indifferent to, that built up into a big difference.

For thirty years, Ana Rodriguez has been working at The Mat, dutifully folding clothes, helping people, and helping with business. Her persistent optimism and love for serving her communities fuels her daily. 

When I interviewed her, we spoke in a blend of Spanish and English, as she was born in the Dominican Republic, and speaks more comfortably in Spanish. In the future, she sees herself back in “mi pais.” 

Ana told me “ser amable todos los dias,” or “be happy every day.” As I grow up, I make sure to smile at Ana. I remember that doing a chore like the laundry is really not that bad. But most of all, I follow what she lives by. Doing things with “amor por la gente.” 

Trek Bicycle Shop: Forest Cutrer

I still remember my first bike.  

The wind rushing through my hair, the world blurring past me. Then the bliss halted. The chain snapped, I lost my balance, and dust rubbed my hands raw. 

My first broken bike. 

The perfection was ruined. My chin quivered, tears rolled down my cheeks. Yet one week later, I came home to my first fixed bike. But who fixed that bike? Someone like Forest Cutrer. 

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Forest grew up with a love for transportation and music. 

“When I was in college, I wanted to buy a bicycle, just for fun… but I didn’t know how to fix it,” Forest said. Looking for an opportunity to learn the bike, Forest began going to a non-profit bike cooperative. “I spent about six months to a year going every year, hanging out and they would teach me stuff,” Forest said. “Then I became a board member and would teach people how to do stuff like how to junkyard the whole bike, take donations…You learn a lot about being on your feet, you learn a lot about where a lot of people come from, in terms of why people ride, because everyone rides for a different reason. And I did that for three or four years and I moved here, got a job at a camping store, then I ended up managing their bike department. Then that company folded so I went to another company, and then Trek bought that company so now I’m here. So I’ve kinda been doing it my whole adult life.”

Although Forest’s work is meticulous and demanding, it tends to fly under the radar. “A lot of people think they can do it without even trying… people are surprised by how much work goes into it.”

“Honestly, I get really excited when older ladies come in, and they are like, ‘I’ve never done this before’… and like to hype them up a little bit and they come back and they are like ‘I did it!’ I like showing people that they can really do anything they put their mind to.”

Forest has worked her way up to becoming a service manager, but she reminds me that this comes with lessons. “It sounds very much like something a rapper would say, but like don’t forget where you came from… Most everyone has to work their way up to do things, to get into a position of power and leadership. Once you get to that position, don’t forget that the other people might be transient on their way too. They are humans too…you need to be able to empathize with the people who look up to you, and respect them. Otherwise you are going to lose sight of your goals, and then everything else is going to fall apart.”

Forest keeps herself focused in the present, “I’m kinda taking it one day at a time,” she told me. Small goals can go a long way though. “I wanna start small. My girlfriend and I were talking about having a house with a yard and that’s a goal in the future.”

If I could go back in time, to my first broken bike, perhaps I could have met the person who fixed my bike. Perhaps I could have learned about their story.

For now, I can ride my bike, and appreciate the people who helped it come to be. 

Art & Frame of New York: Everado 

When I remember any place, I visualize it- it’s feelings, colors, and elements. Having a painting or photograph can immerse me in this atmospheric world once again. But what preserves pictures like these, sustains it on a wall or rests it on a bedside table? 

The answer is frames. Everado lives and breathes his craft, using his hands to preserve moments in time. 

At a young age, Everado moved from Mexico to Queens, New York. “I was in school back home and then you see a lot of stuff on T.V. about America,” Everado said. “And you just want to do something else … I took an adventure and traveled here.” 

After a journey, Everado arrived in Queens, New York. He lived with relatives, yet he felt countless miles from home. His financial situation pushed him to become independent at a young age, as he said, “I had to pay my rent and everything.”

“I started high school. So I went to high school over here for a couple years, and then I needed a job, because I was by myself. Then I started cleaning a place like this [frame store] and I started learning. So then they gave me a job after school, and then from there I just kept doing it.”

For twelve years, Everado has been working at Art & Frames of New York. His day-to-day work is dynamic. “It’s just waking up and going to sleep that is the only thing that you follow, but besides that during the day, everything is totally different.” 

As art and photography fluidly moves through the storefront, Everado works hard to make frames, talk to customers, do installations, or even pick up something to fix at the store. “There is a lot of stuff that you have to put into the frames, so it takes a couple days because it goes step by step. So it’s not like you just cut the wood and then you just put it together.”

“Just find a job that you love, that’s it. Obviously you won’t find it right away, right? But you always have to find a way so you can really fit in. I love this job… I would like to own a place and have a shop like this,” Everado said. 

Living in a society where there are rocket-scientists, cancer-curing doctors, mind blowing philosophers, I tend to fall into a slump of guilt that I will never surpass them. Yet as Everado told me, “everybody has their own story.” 

Perhaps I will never win a Nobel Prize, or cure a disease, but I will support society in the way I can, by following Everado, who reminds me to “just keep working on what you like.” 

Upper East Side Doorman: Christian Pabon

Have you ever had to greet hundreds of people a day? Protect them? 

Throughout New York City, unseen doormen do this every day. They stand on tired legs and keep themselves alert deep into the drowsy hours of the night. 

Christian Pabon is one of these doormen. 

Growing up in Hoboken, New Jersey, Christian was a dedicated artist. In hopes of becoming a comic artist, he entered a prestigious art school. Yet competition was ruthless, and after a semester, Christian decided that he needed a break. Seeking different outlets for his creativity, he found himself working at a commercial mechanic, wizard store entertainment shop, and being a store manager at GameStop. Then, sixteen years ago, Christian decided to move on from GameStop, and be a doorman. Today he dedicates eighty demanding hours a week to his job, working as a doorman for two different buildings. 

Being a doorman might appear to be easy. But, “when things go wrong, they go wrong.” Emergencies, such as water leaks, can spiral into big issues. Visitors come by requesting to visit a person, and Christian has to look this stranger in the eyes and persist that, ‘this person does not want to see you.’ 

‘Home at 8 a.m., sleep five hours, wake up and go back to work.’ Christian lives and breathes this routine, fueled by his love for seeing people and his goal to “retire and move to Florida.” 

When the sun goes down, and exhaustion kicks in, Christian reminds himself of the beauty of his job. Every day, he sees dozens of faces. Some of these are young children. For many kids’ childhood, Christian has been a friendly constant face in their evolving lives. As he put it, “kids, from birth, becoming people.” 

The next time I have one-of-those-days- where it feels like everything is horrendously going against you so I might as well pity myself, I will try to follow Christian’s advice. “If you are positive, it helps a lot,” Christian said. “Everybody has a bad day.” 

CVS: Andy Guerrero Reynoso

I cannot count the amount of times I have been to CVS. 

Buying snacks, getting medicine late at night, considering a pricey jewelry set. I never thought much about the workers, until Andy Reynoso smiled brightly, and said, “Welcome to CVS! I hope you are having a great day!” His joy was contagious, so I smiled back, and said, “thank you!” 

For two years, Andy has been working full time as a greeter at CVS Pharmacy. Outside of CVS, he works part time installing solar panels. “My day consists of welcoming guests into our store with love and positivity,” Andy said. “It’s not a requirement, but in a world where there’s so much negativity, I choose to bring love, smiles and positivity, in order to uplift others and make this world a better place. Outside of greeting, I help with passport photos, photo printing services, assisting customers in self check out, and de-escalating problems between.”

“I uplift those who walk in through the door because I know how challenging life can be, and the least I can do is sprinkle some love, make them smile, and let them know they are seen and appreciated.”

Having a smile on your face can be difficult some days. “[We] can be short staffed at times, or need to deal with unnecessary rudeness or inconsideration from customers,” Andy said. Employees can often be “receiving negative energy for things that … are out of [our] control.”

Andy is from La Romana, Dominican Republic. He derives his optimistic nature, as he said, “from the grace of God…[and] my mother who sacrificed and overcame obstacles to provide a better life for me.” 

“Life is short, tomorrow is not promised. So do what you love, what makes you happy and make the best out of this journey while we can,” Andy said.

USPS: Alex Smith

I love the feeling of a delivery box. You stab your scissors through the perfectly packaged box and tear it open. You gaze at your new possession, cradled in fresh bubble wrap. 

The perfection of this moment is anticipated. Yet most people, including myself, never pause to realize that the package does not materialize out of thin air. Alex Smith is the force behind your package’s transport, making sure that your bundle of joy finds you. 

For “a year and a couple months,” Alex has been working for USPS. “Usually I wake up around six, take a shower, get out the door at seven, and will be at work at eight-thirty,” Alex said. At work, he drives his USPS truck, scans the outgoing packages, and delivers them to buildings. 

“I’m literally by myself,” Alex explains. He makes sure to keep himself accountable, as he has big dreams. “I want to get into the medical field…I’m not sure what exactly. I want to just get my foot in the door, so I’m in a program for that.”

Yet staying determined can be tiring, as Alex said, “Some days I’m like, what am I doing this for?” 

Next time, before I savagely open my package, I will consider the person who transported it there. A person like me, who has bigger dreams ahead. 

If you ever see the delivery person, acknowledge them, and remind them that their job is vital and valued. 

Tabs Deli: Sonni

I grew up, in fact I am still growing up, by a corner deli. Some mornings, I would stumble down my stairs and buy the two dollar milk for my cereal. I would look up at the cashier, as I slid the bill across the counter, standing on my tip toes. 

Sonni was the cashier on many of those mornings, when I groggily slammed the gallon of milk on the counter. For twenty-four years, Sonni has come to work at the two locations of the deli. He describes work as, “Little bit busy, little bit hard. Depending on the situation…a lot of things happen between the time, you know.” 

Sonni was born in India. “I was a kid when I came to the United States. So they put me in sixth grade. After that I went to high school and pre-high school…I dropped out when I was eighteen.” 

Working until one in the morning is dangerous. “Sometimes they knock on your door. Make you open the door because they want to buy something. Sometimes you know, we have to call the cops, they don’t leave…”

On those hard days, Sonni often wishes he were somewhere else. In the future, he wants to “Change my life…get something better in the future than what I have right now…get to the point where I need to get.” 

“Every day you see somebody got killed, somebody got hit, these things need to be stopped…It’s ten o’clock, everybody locks the door.”  

Sonni is a hard worker, he makes sure to come to work on time every day and works his shifts to the best of his ability. “My advice is to try to be nice to everyone and do as much as you can to protect yourself.” 

Coming from India, Sonni’s job at the deli has helped him learn English. He said, “I like always dealing with people. I like [it because] it’s better for me because this way I get more pronunciation [practice]. I can talk to them better. 

Moving around in his life, Sonni has learned to be a quick language learner. “I speak nearly seven languages… which I understand, but I cannot write in,” Sonni said. “None of the languages, not even my own language.” 

As I talked to Sonni, his perspective shifted. He said, “…so I like my job. I have no complaints about it but it is tough to live in the living time right now. With what’s going on right now… so I think it should get better.”

Everyone has difficult days, where everything can seem hopeless. Sonni serves as a symbol of dedication and hard work. Working at a deli is harder than it appears, especially when you have other dreams in mind. Perhaps next time you stumble into a deli to buy yourself a pack of gum, ask the cashier how they are. 

Sometimes, all we need is a reminder we are important. 

Safety Hardware Store: David

David was born in Israel. As a teenager, every boy was required to serve three years in the army. After serving in the army, David heard that some of his family had gone to America, and word traveled that they had started a hardware store. 

Packing his bags, David immigrated to the bustling New York City, and joined this family business. 

It has been thirty years since he first arrived, young and anticipating his future. Today his business is successful, and he hopes to raise his kids the same. 

As customers come in and out with unique requests, David tries his best to help them. But, “Some people I have no idea how to help… I can’t help everybody.”

David is bubbly with a contagious smile. He loves cracking jokes to make work more enjoyable. Helping people is very rewarding for him. 

He reminded me, when you work make sure you do something you like to go, pretend it is like going to “vacation.” Finding your footing in a completely different country teaches you that work needs to be something worth dedicating yourself to. I will carry this with me, as I anxiously await my future. 

Acknowledgements 

From every walk of life, these people dedicated themselves to their job, helping out the neighborhood in their different ways. Andrew Vazquez and Alex Smith inspired me to reach for the stars, and I wish them the best in becoming medical professionals and brand-creators. Ana Rodriguez reminded me of what I should be more grateful for, and what is worth being negative about. Forest Cutrer taught me to favor kindness when you succeed at something. Everado and David showed me that the most important thing in work is to be doing what you love, even though it might take time to find. Christian Pabon’s work ethic motivated me to never give up. Andy Guerrero Reynoso’s beautiful positivity brightens my spirits and will forever remind me to smile big. Sonni’s perseverance showed me that expressing gratitude goes a long way. 

I walked away from these nine conversations with much more than I could have ever imagined. These workers taught me unforgettable lessons that they learned from both their hardships and successes in work. I deeply appreciate them taking the time to talk to me, and I will always look forward to seeing them again in my neighborhood!

A Final Note to New Yorkers: What Can We Do?

For sixteen years, I have walked into, or past, hundreds of stores without batting an eye. 

New Yorkers are described as rude, unfriendly. Some say it is because they are so busy, or there is just too much happening to pause and reflect in “the city that never sleeps.” Forgetting to recognize a worker does not make someone mean. 

Yet if I am overwhelmed by this cacophony of an urban jungle, I predict so are those who serve us. Through small steps of acknowledgment perhaps we can reform this negative stereotype of New Yorkers. 

So I have decided, tomorrow morning, I will wake up early.

I will remember to recognize and smile at the person across the counter, as I wait anxiously for another bagel. 

New Yorkers, can you do this too?

“Life is short, tomorrow is not promised. So do what you love, what makes you happy and make the best out of this journey while we can,” said Andy Guerrero Reynoso.