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summary of third level

The Third Level at Grand Central Station

Grand Central Station of New York has two levels. But Charley, a thirty-one year old dweller of the city, talks about there being three. Not only does he believe in the existence of this hypothetical third level but also claims to have been there.

A visit to his psychiatrist friend

Charley visits a psychiatrist friend to talk about this problem. The psychiatrist calls it a “waking-dream wish fulfillment” and rationalises Charley's psychology by saying that the “modern world is full of insecurity, fear, worry, and war...” and everybody wants to escape to some “temporary refuge from reality.” According to him, even hobbies like stamp collection is a manifestation of this escape.

Charley loses his way at Grand Central

The fast growing Grand Central station at times seems to be a maze to Charley. He had lost his way a couple of times earlier too while taking the subway. Once, he entered the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel while the other time he emerged at an office building that was three blocks away. But this time when he loses his way, something unique happens. He visits the third level!

The Third Level

Charley keeps walking in the quiet corridor, angling left and slanting downward, till he reaches an architecturally old station that is completely different from the two familiar levels. The antiquated small room with fewer ticket counters and train gates, a wooden information booth, flickering open flame gas lights and brass spittoons reminds him of the architecture of the 1800s. He also finds that people are dressed in outmoded outfits. He notices that the date on the newspaper The World is printed June 11, 1894. As he tenders money to the clerk at the counter to buy two tickets, he realises that he need to have old currency bills to do so.

Charley’s plan for a journey to the Galesburg of 1890s not realised

He had always wanted to travel to Galesburg with his wife, Louisa. In his mind, it is “a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees....” It is a place with long and pleasant summer evenings and where people have ample of time. So, the next day during lunch, he exchanges three hundred dollars for old style bills amounting to some two hundred only. The loss doesn’t bother him much as he believes that in Galesburg everything will be cheaper and that he can manage even with a small amount. But, he could never again find the corridor leading to the third level.

Sam goes missing!

His wife Louisa is worried after knowing all this and asks him not to look for the third level any further. Suddenly Charley realises that his friend, Sam Weiner, is nowhere to be found, so he and his wife keep looking for him in the weekends. Sam was the one with whom Charley used to share his ideas about Galesburg.

Philately & the first day covers

Philately is not just stamp collection but a broad term including the study of stamps, postal history and other related items. When a new stamp is issued, on the first day, people mail a blank paper to themselves and then retain that unopened letter with the date on the postmark. Charley has inherited the hobby and the collection from his grandfather. 

A letter from Sam

One day while fidgeting with his stamp collection, Charley comes across a letter that was not there earlier. It bears the postmark on a faded six-cent stamp with a picture of the President Garfield. The envelope was sent on July18, 1894 to Charley's grandfather in Galesburg and is addressed to Charley.

The letter reads that Sam has reached Galesburg and is having whale of a time there. He also invites Charley and Louisa to Galesburg. When Charley goes to the stamp and coin store, he is apprised of Sam's exchanging eight hundred dollars for the old currency bills to establish his business of hay feed and grain in Galesburg. The letter was written by Sam Weiner, who was Charley's psychiatrist!

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Summary of The third level
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Its given in vistas, andha hae kya Padh lae.
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Charley was quite an ordinary man from New York. One evening he reached the Grand Central Railway Station, New York, after a long day’s work in the office. This was what happened:

  • He was in a hurry to get home. His wife Louisa was waiting for him.
  • Having found no train from the first level of the station, Charley went down to the second level.
  • While waiting for a train on the second level, Charley found a door and tunnel down.
  • Curious as he always was, Charley suspected it was a mysterious tunnel.
  • Following the tunnel, he took steps down and reached the third level of the station.

But, Grand Central has only two levels! How is this third level possible? Charley remained wondering. Wondering at the old fashioned train engines, at the hundred year old fashion, men with long mustache, women dressed in the old French style, a man pulling out his watch from pocket, gas lamps and spittoons…

  • From a newspaper, he learnt the time – 1895!
  • Charley knew one thing for sure – time traveling!
  • He had got into similar tunnels in the past – under Roosevelt Hotel, under Times Square…
  • In the past he had got into more such mysterious tunnels and caves but always a question remained without answer – why was he not able to go back to those places once again!
  • Anyway, now, in the third level of the Grand Central Station, he had not much time to ask questions – Louisa was waiting at home.
  • He went the ticket counter and asked for two tickets to Galesburg – the 1895 Galesburg or more clearly, a hundred years old Galesburg – where he was born.
  • When he paid the cash at the counter, the clerk suspected him for tendering fake currency. Threatened, Charley ran out of the third level and reached home.
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Charley explains that one night while hurrying home, he decided to take the subway from the Grand Central Station. He eventually found himself on a strange third level with spittoons on the floor, oddly dressed people and locomotives from the 1890's.

Understanding he'd somehow gone back in time, Charlie tries to buy tickets to Galesburg. During his lunch break the next afternoon, Charlie withdraws all their savings and buy old style currency. But, he can never find the entrance to the third level at the Grand Central.

Charley finds evidence the third level actually exists when he discovers a letter to him dated 18th July 1894 from Galesburg. It seemed that Charley's friend was not as incredulous of the third level as he appeared.
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Summary of the Third Level
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