UWS Bitchiness

The Times’ Jennifer Steinhauer presents a sort of monograph of one of the bitchiest neighborhoods in the city — “Sometimes, the West Side Is Just Plain Grouchy”:

The Upper West Side, like all New York neighborhoods, moves to its own rhythms, fueled in large part by population density, acute parenting, entitlement and retail. Some weeks, you feel there is something in the air, a pinched intensity pushing everyone within a 20-block radius just an inch off the platform of reasonable behavior.

On Monday, on Broadway near 90th Street, a mother in low-rise jeans stood waiting for the light lecturing her son, who appeared to be about 5 years old. “If you want to root for the Red Sox, that is your choice,” the mother said, “but you may not sit with the rest of the family during the games.”

The pained child protested. “But we are Yankees fans,” mom replied, ticking off the names of each member of the family as they hurried across the street. The child tripped, fell and dissolved into tears. Mom scooped him up. They made the light.