The Unbearable Absence of Anthrax

Gothamist likes the danger, so when we heard they thought they had turned up some anthrax at the Canal Street 1/9 Station, we were out the door before you could say "false alarm" or "don't forget the gas mask."

When we got down there all the real reporters were swarming, looking for quotes and interviewing the various MTA functionaries who had appeared on hand. With nothing much to report, the reporters started interviewing each other, and then they got tired and sat on the benches and called their editors on cellphones. One semi-crazy homeless woman kept asking each reporter what was going on, and they seemed happy to talk to her. We watched the whole scene and took pictures of the firefighters in Hazmat suits giving each other showers until it was time for lunch.

As of 11pm, anthrax has been ruled out. Gothamist's guess? Sugar left by a straphanger disgruntled about the $2.00 fare.