Nancy Ruhling's Astoria Characters

As Sharon Florin climbs the wide staircase to her top-floor studio, an act that she has done going on 40 years, it reminds her of how much things have changed. Sharon paints the city fantastic. The three-story red-brick building started out life as a factory in the 19th century, and by the time she and her canvases came in 1980, her floor had been divided to house artists like herself. There used to be five of them. As the last one to arrive, Sharon got the smallest space. But it has a big window,…

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Anna Conti is not wearing her wedding ring. It’s not that she doesn’t want to put it on. Anna lost her husband two years ago. She’s a widow, and the ring makes her feel closer to Ugo, the husband she shared her life with for 64 of her 82 years. The thing is, the ring’s a little large. It’s not as simple as resizing it. When her knuckle swells, as it does a lot, she needs a too-big size to fit over it. That means that the ring twirls like a top when it clears the bump and lands on her thinner…

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“Would you like to see my corner?” Before there’s even time to answer, Aiysha Mayfield strides down 14th Street and plants herself squarely in the bold white stripes of the crosswalk at 30th Avenue.   Aiysha’s a crossing guard for P.S. 171 elementary, aka the Peter G. Van Alst School. She puts her hands on her hips. She owns the space; no car is going to mess with her. Every school day, this is where Aiysha is stationed as the kids at P.S. 171 cross and re-cross the…

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It’s a warm, sunny day, so 2-year-old Ani is dancing around the apartment in anticipation of playing outside. Her mother, Christine Serdjenian Yearwood, has piled the little girl’s unruly ringlets onto the top of her head and has managed to get her to stand still long enough to strap on her sneakers.   Christine became a mother two years ago. They are pink. Ani, who is holding a baby doll, likes them because they are covered in sparkly sequins and light up when she walks. Since…

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There’s a fly buzzing around the office. Instead of trying to swat it, Gil Bloom, president of Standard Pest Management, watches in wonder as it wings its way his way. Although Gil makes his living ridding the world of the creepy crawlers that give us the creeps and the shrieks, he’s in awe of them.   Gil’s the president of Standard Pest Management.   “The insects and rodents that we consider pests are industrious, efficient and creative because they have the ability…

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