Construction-caused traffic jam this morning while I'm waiting to cross the street. All cars standing still as backhoe backs up, beeping. Right in front of me in the crosswalk, an NYPD van, the kind they use to transport a dozen cops at a time to wherever they need them. It's empty except for the driver, a black woman cop, and her passenger, another black woman cop. Seeing that they're not going anywhere, the driver puts the van in park, turns to the passenger, and they start a clapping game. One of those complicated ones with double claps and shoulder-touches. They mess it up, crack up, start again, crack up some more. I crack up. They see me cracking up, the passenger covers her face like she's embarrassed, I give the driver a big thumbs-up, she gives me one and pokes the passenger, she looks, gives me one, too, we all grin, and the traffic starts to move. The driver throws the van into gear, waves at me, and drives off, the two of them still laughing. I love New York.