(Two weeks earlier)
The moment the plane touched down at La Guardia (Thankfully without incident), Niles knew that his life was going to change dramatically. If the airport in New York City was any indication, the people were going to be dramatically different as well.
He quickly found Ground Transportation and hailed a cab to his new home. With any luck the movers would have already arrived and positioned his furniture precisely where he'd requested. During the ride to his home, he tried to make polite conversation with the taxi driver but from the moment he'd climbed into the taxi, he felt a huge sense of unease. The driver was gruff and unfriendly, unlike the few drivers he'd encountered in Seattle. And even those were a nightmare, not to mention the germs that filled those taxis. He could only imagine how many germs filled a taxi that carried people in a city of over a million people. The thought made him shudder.
"Where to, mister?"
Caught off guard, Niles reached into his pocket and retrieved his wallet. He unfolded it, glancing at his neat handwriting. "Th-the Park Fifty-Four Apartments." He stammered.
Immediately the taxi sped off, causing Niles to grab onto the back of the black faux leather seat for dear life. The driver looked so shady in appearance that Niles didn't dare ask him to slow down. And so he stared out of the window as the city went by in a whir.
New York City was nothing at all like Seattle. Gone were the spacious roads and tall evergreen trees that seemed to reach into the heavens, replaced with huge skyscrapers… and cars… Niles was fully aware that the traffic in Seattle was horrendous and the city had grown tremendously since his childhood. But this…. The traffic in New York City was a thousand times worse. People honking at each other for no reason, making obscene gestures and their shouts could be heard through the taxi windows.
Even his driver was getting into the action. But Niles supposed he'd simply have to get used to it. The hustle and bustle of the city surprised him, for it was nothing at all as he'd expected.
"Here we are, mister. That'll be fifty two forty seven."
Niles' mouth fell open in disbelief. "Fifty-two… but you've only driven me-."
At the taxi driver's glare, Niles quietened and reached for his wallet. He removed some bills and handed them to the driver. And then he grabbed his luggage (as quickly as possible) and sat it on the sidewalk next. After one last glance to make sure he had everything he needed, he closed the door, and to his surprise, the taxi sped away, leaving him alone on the sidewalk.
The blue awning of his new home greeted him and he went inside, introducing himself to the doorman called Ron, who surprisingly, was extremely friendly. With Ron's help, Niles quickly found Rhonda, the woman whom he'd conversed with several times a day both online and on the phone. She'd been an invaluable help in helping him to obtain his home, giving him a virtual tour and providing him with countless amounts of information about his new city. Although they'd never met in person, he recognized her immediately and regarded her as a friend. She was exactly the way he'd pictured her.
"Dr. Crane, we meet at last!"
When she moved closer to him, he realized that she was much taller than he'd imagined, but he was even more surprised when she hugged him. He accepted the hug willingly and kissed her cheek.
"Rhonda, it's so nice to formally meet you. I can't thank you enough for everything that you've done for me. I wish there was a way to repay you."
She smiled. "Of course there is! You can tell me that you love your new home!"
He laughed along with her. "I'm, sure that I will. I've been looking forward to it, but-."
"Now don't worry about anything, Dr. Crane. I can assure you that the movers have already been here and everything is exactly where you want it to be."
Niles smiled, overcome with relief. "I can't wait to see it, Rhonda. I'm sure it's wonderful!"
"Well then come with me, Dr. Crane."
"Please, call me Niles."
"All right. Niles. I can't wait for you to see your new home!"
"I'm rather anxious myself." He admitted. Eagerly, he followed Rhonda to the elevator and they made polite conversation as they rode up to the twelfth floor.
"So how was your flight, Niles?"
"It was very nice, but long…very long. Now I know how Frasier felt flying from Boston to Seattle. No wonder he rarely came home for visits. "
She laughed. "I can imagine. I've never been to Seattle, but I hear it's beautiful. I really want to go someday."
"You'd love it! It's quite different from New York City, but it's absolutely beautiful with the mountains, green trees and even the grey skies are pleasant. Living here is going to take some getting used to, but I then I'll manage. Jeff has been a huge help as have you. And I'm eager to start my new job. It's in the Rogers Building and I'm not sure-."
"Oh yes, it's a beautiful building. On Fifty-Fifth Street, just a few blocks from here. A really nice walk at that, even in our unpredictable weather."
Niles could hardly imagine walking to work, much less being without a car. He hated parting with his Mercedes, even though the salesman at the Mercedes dealership gave him a handsome price for his car, which was of course, in pristine condition as it was only a few years old. But the money would certainly come in handy in his new endeavor. Everything seemed so expensive in New York City that he was going to need as much money as he could obtain to live as comfortably as he had lived in Seattle.
"Here we are, Niles."
The doors opened on the twelfth floor and his heart raced with excitement as he followed Rhonda to the end of the hallway. She stopped at the last door on the right and smiled. "Here are your keys. I'll let you do the honor."
Niles took the keys from her and inserted one into the lock, his fingers trembling as he did so. But when he opened the door, he gasped.
"Oh my…"
He could hear Rhonda talking, but he barely paid attention as he entered the apartment. His apartment, his home, his new home. A corner unit, the sunken living room contained the furniture that had been in his living room at the Montana, but amazingly it was even more spacious. Everything was exactly where he'd requested it to be. And the view…
He crossed the living room to the window, which was even bigger than Frasier's Elliot Bay Towers window and he felt strangely compelled to call his older brother to gloat. But the moment he heard Frasier's voice over the p0hone, he knew that homesickness would set in, so he decided it was best to keep this gem a secret.
"You must see the balcony! You'll love it!"
He followed Rhonda through the white rimmed door that opened out onto the balcony, which wrapped around the length of the apartment. "Oh, of course, I've been waiting to see this…. View… Oh my God, this is incredible!"
"It is, isn't it?"
He stared at the city below in awe. "I mean it, Rhonda. This is incredible!"
Incredible was an understatement. From his home he had the most spectacular view of Central Park. It was without a doubt the most incredible thing he'd ever seen. From this height on the top floor, he could see the entire outline of Central Park. The lush green created a pleasing contrast against the bright blue sky.
"Do you like your new home, Niles?"
He turned to find Rhonda standing behind him and he hugged her tightly, catching her off-guard. But he didn't regret his actions for a minute.
"I love it, Rhonda. This is… even better than I ever imagined. It's absolutely perfect!"
And it was.