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As Spotted on the Subway NYC

The Power of the DVD Player

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The homeless are a New York City staple, particularly on the subways, where there is escape from the harsh wind of the outside world. Usually they wander the cars begging, at times accompanied by a sad tale or simply a cup with loose change. Many times, simply their appearance (male, long wild hair and beard) is a dead give away.

Imagine my surprise today when I boarded an uptown A train at 81st Street and encountered the grandest juxtaposition I have seen in a long time; a man, clearly homeless, sat huddled on the floor leaning against a door, watching, of all things, a movie on a portable DVD player!

Clearly, I was not alone in my curiosity, as soon enough, a nearby gentleman handed the man a dollar and stated, to a rousing round of laughter throughout the car, “You know, I’ve lived in New York for 30 years and I’ve never seen a homeless man with a DVD player!” The homeless man replied, that he (usually) abstained from the drug usage that crippled many a bum in this town, and that he instead chose to apply the money he was given to a little entertainment! He continued, explaining that he ended up in his current situation because of a woman! The car erupted in a new round of laughter as he exclaimed “love hurts!”

The conversation between the two men continued for some time, as did the joy of everyone else. Was he perhaps watching a pornographic film on there? No, but he did have those discs in his pocket for later! The man, clearly feeling generous, tossed a box of cigarettes to the homeless guy, exclaiming, “Happy New Year!” The recipient was very gracious, and shortly thereafter picked up his DVD player and exited the train at 116th Street.

Strikingly, the joy that had exuded throughout the car fell instantly silent upon his exit, as all laughter and smiles gave way to the cold, solemn look that New Yorkers are known for. And just like that, everything was normal again.

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By Aaron

Hey there! I'm Aaron and this is my travel site, where I document my adventures to all corners of the world. My love for travel started at the ripe old age of four, when a midlife crisis uprooted my family to Ecuador for five years. Since then, I've been to countries on 4 different continents. When I'm not blissfully on the road, I reside in New York City, where I become the ultimate travel junkie and spend my days dreaming up my next great adventure! Read More...

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