>>Our last day in NYC and here’s what we’ve learnt: the rude, aggressive, always-in-a –hurry, always-ready–with-a-sarcastic-riposte New Yorker is dead. Put it down to the economic downturn, the setback in foreign regard, the rise of other powers like China and to a certain extent India — or just a mellowing of the monster -- but in his place has entered a mild-mannered, soft spoken and gentle being, one who wants to sit back and watch the grass grow. At cafes and multiplex queues people ask each other, “Weren’t you in front of me?” before waiving the other person ahead.