"Just look unhappy and act like you don't care if you're there."

That's my son's secret to being mistaken for a New Yorker. Hmm. That wasn't my experience of New Yorkers--I remember being amazed by how nice and friendly everyone was the last time I visited, and said as much to him. But then he clarified, "They aren't all unhappy, but if you want to be mistaken for one, that's the fast way to get there."

And apparently it worked for him. He was asked for directions and advice on the subway every time he rode it. Not just advice for which line to take, either. There was one guy who was waiting for the train who saw a porn magazine on the tracks, and he asked my son if he thought he had time to jump down and get it. My son answered, "Well, there's a train coming."

But the guy jumped down anyway, grabbed the magazine, jumped back on the platform, and stuffed the rolled-up magazine into his back pocket and said, "That's eight dollars I just saved!"

I'm not sure what was more shocking: that he would risk his life for eight dollars or that a porn magazine costs that much.