One of the most notable things about Grand Central is obviously the main concourse. Any movie, tv show, or book about New York City showcases the main concourse as the spotlight to tell it’s story. When I listened to the information about Grand Central through the audio tour, it brought up so many novelties about Grand Central that we overlook, and yet add so much to our experience of the station; such as the wall of glass (windows), the clock on top of the information booth, the staircases. All of the tiny facets of the station have similarly fascinating origin stories that only add to the greatness of Grand Central.
When I realized that the windows held catwalks in between the glass panes, I was shocked, and of course the first thing I wanted to do was walk across them until the audio tour confirmed that it was off limits. I imagined a scene from a movie, of bad guys being chased down through the catwalks, only allowing the viewer to see the windows, and seeing the characters appear and disappear on different floors. I was also intrigued by the marketplace. The narrator talked about the rays of sun shining in through the glass in the morning, and I couldn’t help but picture it while I was standing there, in the midst of all the hustle inside the market. If I were to shoot that for a movie, I would picture it at the beginning of a film, and perhaps a child or teen on their way to do some sort of mischief in the city, stopping for breakfast and knowing all of the vendors and workers, and saying hello as she grabs an apple and is on her way. I also enjoyed the whispering gallery, and I honestly didn’t believe it could be true. When Ellen and I went to either side of the gallery and I heard her from all the way across the room, I was shocked. This was another place where I could imagine two kids hiding away and whispering secrets to one another in the middle of New York City, which I really like the idea of.
My story around Grand Central would be one of discovery. I can imagine two teenagers, of any description honestly, just exploring the station and the people around it. They would laugh and talk in the more hidden places, like the station masters waiting room, bargain for a meal at the marketplace in exchange for sweeping the floors, and talk to travelers coming in and out of the city. The two could whisper in the gallery to each other so no adults could hear them, and maybe even share their first kiss in the “kissing room” when they’re a little older. Whenever they weren’t at school, they would just explore all the mysteries Grand Central has to offer, and make friends with the workers there, too. I can imagine my story getting sad suddenly, when perhaps one of them moves away. And for a while they grow up and forget about all of the things they used to talk about, but all the secrets they discovered can’t be forgotten. And one day years and years later, one of them, the one who stayed in NYC, receives a letter with just a time and a platform number. And they both know that it means to meet again in Grand Central, and when they do, they remember everything. And I would like to imagine my story would have a happy ending, even if it all seems very cliché and corny, I believe it would have a happy ending.
I find your idea about the story with villains being chased through the levels of the wall of glass really amusing, and it reminds me of familiar kids shows I used to watch when I was young. I think that would make for a good scene in a TV show or movie.
As for your story, although it might be a cliché format, the ways that you tied in the different parts of Grand Central Station was very clever.