If I worked for Stephen Malone, a New York carriage driver,  we would fight about his dress code. I hated wearing suits or jackets and ties, let alone a tux, and when I CBS News I took all of my ties out in the backyard and burned them in a happy bonfire.  I took an oath never to wear one again, and I haven’t. I don’t own a single one. I once had a boss I loved who used to scold me about my attire, what you wear is who you are, he said. When you go outside and represent this newspaper, you should look like it matters to you who you are and what you look like.

I have to say I never gave it another thought until I saw Stephen and Tyson. I hope to never wear a tuxedo again in this life, but these two look pretty grand, this image is not of suffering and abuse for sure. Definitely, they are sending a message and I noticed that many of the tourists and riders made a beeline for Stephen and his horse and carriage, the two of them are quite the pair.  Stephen is a man of tradition, he and Tyson begin each morning with a stop at one of the horse fountains that dot the park, some of the built by Henry Law Olmstead, the parks’ designer, others donated by park and horse lovers.  Mrs. Henry Russell, the donor, could not, I think, have imagined the plan to replace the horses with “cruelty-free, eco-friendly” and fake vintage electric cars. I would love to know what she would say about it, I think I do know. Curiously, the fountain was presented to the A.S.P.C.A. by Mrs Russell, the group has changed it’s view of mercy towards animals and is now seeking to ban the horses like Tyson from New York and exile them to rescue farms or slaughterhouses. Perhaps these fountains will be converted into battery charging stations if the mayor’s plan  goes through.