I'd like to apologize for two things. Firstly I shouldn't have used such harsh language in my post(s) referring to the untrusting passenger I had taken to the airport on Saturday. Secondly I have been lagging behind with my photo posts. I am still posting pictures from the summer, because it just takes too long to edit the pictures. I'm thinking my next post will have pictures from this last weekend.
Shots from 8/11/08
At an intersection by 5th Avenue amongst million dollar residences this homeless man sleeps in a cardboard hut until the winter cold comes in. I hadn't been paying much attention to the homeless situation prior to the picture, but soon after as news of the stock market dropping from bull to bear and every politician admitting disaster, the homeless situation appeared to increase two and three-fold.
Greenwich Village
I noticed the food and blanket lines were both long and in abundance. Only a few weeks ago while I was waiting for the 7 train to take me to work, a photographer honed in on a bench of sleeping people with rolling luggage. The key that really made this photo-op strong was one man who had a thick chain wrapped around both his leg and his luggage so his things didn't get stolen while he slept. All the Transit workers let the guy take his pictures, it's something that needs to be shown. The subway system for its entire life has been a sanctuary for the homeless, providing heat and shelter for a two dollar entry fee. As long as the homeless don't cause a commotion or expel fluids, they're usually allowed to stay. If the two dollar fee is too steep, some homeless ride the Staten Island ferry, which is free, and then sleep at the ferry terminal on the island.
Middle Village, Queens
It was a Monday and so after a fare out to JFK Airport, I drove back to Manhattan through the streets. Above is a well maintained cemetery and funeral home. I have no facts to back this up, but I believe Queens has the most cemeteries in both number and size, in all of New York City.
Ridgewood, Queens
Right near where Queens meets Brooklyn, a small creek spreads through a neighborhood of auto-parts and garbage treatment facilities.
The sky turned from blue to gray in less than 5 minutes and dropped a few buckets of rain. As I headed to the Williamsburg Bridge the traffic grew rude and clustered.
Below: an homage to the East Village of the 80's still remains.
East Village
2 comments:
Boy I sure do miss the LES of the 80s . Even though I only moved here 4 years ago, the image I always carried with me of NYC was one of reckless artistic abandon. And I'm glad you're shedding the limelight on some not so glamorous lives. The homeless of our city are people, just like us, who deserve a little dignity. I never quite understood how millions could be spent by a single individual on utter vanities while many have no access to the basics. What a hellish race of rats (humans). I know how it feels to sleep on the street. Did it for one week when I first moved to NY. It was April and still a little chilly at night. I had a sleeping bag and some cardboard.
Yes I've been feeling sorry lately that it hasn't been shown. Wow, I imagine homeless life to be very difficult especially in New York City. I'd say the only people hated more than cabbies are the homeless. And the weather is never easy either.
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