The Characters of My New York

One of the things that has struck me about New York are the characters that make up this city. I thought I would introduce you to a few of them;

1. The Morning Joker. Leaving home each morning I say hi to a Vietnam veteran who walks (on crutches) up and down Avenue A, telling jokes to people he walks past. He has a great sense of humor, is always smiling and I look forward to each morning him telling me my shoe is untied, then him laughing uncontrollably when I look down.


2. Then there is the Homeless Busker, this guy is the spitting image of Sammy Davis Jr, and has the same mannerisms. He told me how he had it all and now he lives on the streets and refuses to beg, so he provides a service. He will sing you a song for money. He has an incredibly soulful voice, and his version of Amazing Grace was so heartbreaking that it is still one of the most amazing experiences I have had.


3. My Activist Neighbour. The guy in the apartment next door to me is a classic. He is on every bandwagon under the sun. He has meetings in his apartment on everything from Nuclear Disarmament to Astrology.


4. My Composer Neighbour. The guy that lives in the apartment below me, lives in a small studio about the same size as mine with his pregnant wife and cat. He has also managed to squeeze a grand piano into his apartment. He is a classical music composer and ever night spends hours playing everything from blues to baroque. His music filters through my floor, and I love lying in bed late at night with the window open listening to the incredible music which comes out of his apartment.


5. The T.V Delivery Man. Okay I met this guy once but he made SUCH an impression on me. I bought my TV downtown and for an extra $40 I could get him to deliver it, and give me a ride. He must have been at least 80 years old. The first thing he said to me was "I learned to drive on a model T Ford two blocks from here" He wears with pride a WWII Veteran Baseball cap (which has seen better days) and keeps his black and white WWII photographs on dashboard to show his passengers. He was genuinely excited meeting me, and said he had a lot of "aaaaseeee" (aussie) buddies during the war. He told me old stories about NYC and said he lives near the boardwalk at Conney Island, and would never live anywhere else. Top Bloke.