New York City boosters have always embraced hyperbole to make sure that we know who we're talking about: New York's Finest [the NY Police Department], for example. Or, New York's Strongest [the New York Fire Department]. Last night a little drama unfolded on the sidewalk below my front windows that suggests we need another namesake: New York's Kindest. Here's what happened:

Quite early yesterday morning, a red Con Ed truck emblazoned with the word 'EMERGENCY' in large white letters arrived. Later in the day a huge Con Ed utility truck supplying extra power pulled up behind the red one. I didn't pay much attention to all this until after dark, when I noticed they were still at it, whatever 'it' might be.

As I took in the scene from my window, a little community service action unfolded - the kind of thing that makes you glad that giant corporations can occasionally be seen for the qualities of the people who work the day-to-day.

As a huge white mini-van completely entrapped by icy snow from Tuesday night's storm was struggling to get back on the road, two Con Ed workers, in neon striped safety vests, grabbed shovels and began to remove chunks of ice lodging the vehicle in place. It took them more than 10 minutes of digging to free the van - then they returned to the steaming hole they had previously dug in the street. Nice.