Before I moved to New York, I heard there are many “Mickeys.” (I will use Mickey, instead of rats or mice because that sounds much cuter.) So, after moving to New York, I’ve been seeing these Mickeys on subway platforms, on the streets, and in some shadowy corners.

One day, I finally saw a dead Mickey outside the yard of my house. The dead Mickey was not in my way; it was under the patio. I am not afraid of Mickeys, but I don’t like to live with them. I’d never been this close to a Mickey where I come from.

I didn’t know what I should do with the dead Mickey. I was standing there for a while, wondering, when suddenly I saw my neighbor. He seems like a tough guy, so I thought maybe I could ask him to help me. When I asked him, he looked very calm and said, “Yeah, sure.” After that, he took a garbage bag from his yard and just went to pick up the Mickey naturally, like it was a normal thing for him. Then he brought it to his garbage can. I felt very appreciative that he helped me, and I was also surprised that he acted so calmly from beginning to end. To me, it was surprising to see a dead, and very big, Mickey. It seems most of the people here are not surprised by anything, even huge Mickeys. That’s one thing that’s unique about New York City.

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Beibei Xie was born in China and grew up in Japan. Moving to New York City in 2018, she has continued her work as a freelance fashion stylist. She likes to observe and explore this city. She writes, “I think there is no place like it. Everyone has a story. This is such an energetic and entertaining place.” Beibei Xie studies English at the New York Public Library’s Tompkins Square branch, where her teacher is Kathryn Bonn.