âI Was 10 Blocks Into My Walk When I Saw a Tall Man Striding Southâ A mysterious, elegant man, a quick cut and more reader tales of New York City in this weekâs Metropolitan Diary. July 18, 2021, 3:00 a.m. ET Image Dear Diary: The new commute started in November, a gray, sleeting month that was all the more dreary because the job in Stamford that I had enjoyed for two years had been moved to New York. I hate commuting, but when a boss who works you hard but makes you laugh asks you to try it and pays your expenses to do so, thatâs just what you do.