The author reflects on his childhood dream of New York City, recalling a moment when he looked out from a small room and saw the city’s lights. This sight filled him with a sense of wonder and hope, inspiring him to think that one day he would live there. Rather than seeing the city as a tangible reality, he viewed it as a distant and magnificent place that seemed unattainable at that time, like a constellation that was out of reach.

Even when he eventually arrived in New York, the essence of the city surpassed his expectations. He likens his experience to arriving in a magical land, yet he still felt a sense of separation, as if he was merely visiting a dream. This reflects the profound allure that New York had for him, symbolizing both aspiration and an elusive paradise that felt more like a fantasy than an everyday reality.