Dara on the trail of something different

For the past few months, I have been inspired to pay more attention to the MTA subway system, potholes, or anything unusual in this unpredictable city, New York City. This inspiration is from none other than PIX 11 news reporter and friend, Greg Mocker. He is on the trail of something different, and as he puts it, "I'm just a guy who asks a question." However, he is more than that. Greg Mocker is my inspiration because he strives to get answers to our (the citizens of NYC) questions, as well as, investigate matters that tend to be unaddressed. I am proud to be part of this trail, and have contributed to it by doing some investigating myself.

This week, Mocker reported about an incident where part of a ceiling at the Brooklyn College subway station in Brooklyn fell and hit a boy on his head. He had to be taken to the hospital and is expected to be okay. However, Mocker wanted to see how many more stations had these problems. He asked us to send him pictures of worst subway station conditions in our area. Mocker has made this into a contest where the person with the best "worst subway station" picture will win a custom made T-shirt with his picture and slogan "on the trail of something different."

After his report about the peeling ceilings, I started looking closely at the subway stations I take. Two of them, the DeKalb Ave. (left) and Court St. (right) stations in Brooklyn, had peeling ceilings. I snapped some pictures and sent them to Mocker. I also posted them on my Facebook group page called The Mocker Trail Team, a group dedicated to Mocker and his trail of something different.

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting Greg Mocker again! We met at the DeKalb Ave. station where I showed him those peeling ceilings, and he told me I won a Mocker T-shirt! He is so cool and incredibly kind! He is particularly proud of the Trail Team, thanked me for submitting the pictures and for staying on the trail. When he asked me what I will do with the T-shirt, I said, "I will wear it with pride!" Thank you Greg Mocker for being the great reporter you are and for being my friend.