As I shuffled through Hell's Kitchen back to the office, I paused to snap a photo of some humorous Engrish outside a deli. A man called out to me, "You lookin' for an apartment?"
"No, just a funny sign."
"Come here, let me tell you about this stoop. It says, 'Respect the Stoop'. That's because this neighborhood's been gentrified and I want people to remember when it was full of Irish gangsters."
I entertained him for a few moments while he offered me the cliff notes version of Irish mothers telling off judges convicting their sons and each and every lady- regardless of age- greeted him by name (John).
He asked me what I did, where I was from- if I was in love- and why not? He said he didn't use computers and offered me his handwritten, homemade card: with land line. He said we could be friends and if we get to know each other- he'd let me read the book he wrote about the stoop (it's hand written too).
His Irish wedding band shown worn to the degree, that at first glance, I thought it was a skull. He encouraged me to take more photos; he said I should record the people in the neighborhoods. An elderly woman passed- I noted that she got off the bus before me an hour before- flipping the bird and cursing the bus driver. He interjected, "She's real. She'll be gone soon and so will the neighborhood."
John would love you to find him. The stoop in on 10th Avenue between 43rd & 44th.
View more on Public Enemies and John Michael Bolger here.
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