I rarely EVER get political in public but seeing scenes like this really pisses me off at the government.
The other night I was walking down the street and saw an elderly woman in a wheelchair being fed by either a relative or caretaker. They were parked at the side of the sidewalk. She was so old and frail and he was so quiet and attentive. I wondered, 'Did she want to eat outside in this lovely warm night air?' Then I thought, 'Hang on. This poor woman deserves a more dignified last few years. She should be by a beautiful beach or garden. Not on a grimy sidewalk on East fucking 2nd Street between 1st & A". I almost burst into tears.
Seeing someone lying in the street is always tragic no matter why. @Roger Paw--I agree. When I see some things going on in the street especially with the elderly and their well-being, tears fill my eyes and I cry too.
” now-defunct”. It’s defunct because Stuyvesant Town is now the new “hostel”* BM. Just check out the Lux Living FB page.
http://www.facebook.com/stuytownluxliving
@Roger_Paw -You think the elderly have problems now, living with no dignity, wait until my generation, the baby boomers, hits the Alzheimer’s wall. My mother died from Alzheimer’s. I oversee the care of an 88 year old aunt who has the disease. This is the true ticking time bomb (fuck 24) that is coming down the pike. When these Republican SBs start taking about slashing Medicaid because it plays to their base (they skew it as being just for "poor people"-aka lazy blacks and browns), guess what pays for nursing home care in the country for everyone including the dwindling middle class? Sorry to be serious here, RP your post really hit home, thanks.
This corner (14th/2nd) is grim. The other day I saw someone shooting up in broad daylight at the pay phone outside the KFC. I've seen plenty of "junkie naps" in that spot, but never a tied-off arm and a needle. I was shocked. I can't imagine what the NYUers, Spotted Piglets, etc. thought of it (but they may not even have noticed ... "What's a 'pay phone?'")
When Jazz closed, the kids from the high school around the corner quickly adopted the stoop for afternoon hangouts, which is nice. But when they are not there it's an empty space for sad scenes such as this one.
@Crazy Eddie--yes the" baby boomer" generation is in for a heavy time ahead. The senior citizens seem to be the group that's taking the hits now. Very troubling indeed.
@anonymous 10:18 I thought this kind of brazen junkie/homeless development would be welcomed by the good old/bad old days segment of the EV Grieve readership. This is the EV of the 1980s I'm nostalgic for and rarely see anymore!
Hopefully we can look forward to more of this reverse gentrification in the near future!
@Jeremy - It seems you misunderstood my comment. I wasn't comparing the two cases at all but saying I felt sad for unfortunate/unwell people on the whole.
@Crazzy Eddie - I'm so sorry for the loss you went through and the struggle you're going through now. :(
12:45 No one here enjoys human tragedy, you sick freak. We like old buildings and old businesses and we especially like when assholes like you didn't have the internet to interrupt and derail sincere discussions because you're sad about your parents not paying to send you to Tisch or your having to pay market rate for your studio or whatever.
Last week, walking home from work around 6, I saw Larry passed out on 14th st, across from the fire department. A few people came up and freaked out, which got the attention of a paramedic who crossed the street. I see him passed out on a daily basis on A. In passing I told the paramedic that his name was Larry. The paramedic said he knew him, so I went on my way. Strange how no one stops on A, but a crowd assembled on 14th. I suppose we're all just a little more used to it.
11 comments:
I rarely EVER get political in public but seeing scenes like this really pisses me off at the government.
The other night I was walking down the street and saw an elderly woman in a wheelchair being fed by either a relative or caretaker. They were parked at the side of the sidewalk. She was so old and frail and he was so quiet and attentive. I wondered, 'Did she want to eat outside in this lovely warm night air?' Then I thought, 'Hang on. This poor woman deserves a more dignified last few years. She should be by a beautiful beach or garden. Not on a grimy sidewalk on East fucking 2nd Street between 1st & A". I almost burst into tears.
Seeing someone lying in the street is always tragic no matter why.
@Roger Paw--I agree. When I see some things going on in the street especially with the elderly and their well-being, tears fill my eyes and I cry too.
” now-defunct”. It’s defunct because Stuyvesant Town is now the new “hostel”* BM. Just check out the Lux Living FB page.
http://www.facebook.com/stuytownluxliving
@Roger_Paw -You think the elderly have problems now, living with no dignity, wait until my generation, the baby boomers, hits the Alzheimer’s wall. My mother died from Alzheimer’s. I oversee the care of an 88 year old aunt who has the disease. This is the true ticking time bomb (fuck 24) that is coming down the pike. When these Republican SBs start taking about slashing Medicaid because it plays to their base (they skew it as being just for "poor people"-aka lazy blacks and browns), guess what pays for nursing home care in the country for everyone including the dwindling middle class? Sorry to be serious here, RP your post really hit home, thanks.
This corner (14th/2nd) is grim. The other day I saw someone shooting up in broad daylight at the pay phone outside the KFC. I've seen plenty of "junkie naps" in that spot, but never a tied-off arm and a needle. I was shocked. I can't imagine what the NYUers, Spotted Piglets, etc. thought of it (but they may not even have noticed ... "What's a 'pay phone?'")
When Jazz closed, the kids from the high school around the corner quickly adopted the stoop for afternoon hangouts, which is nice. But when they are not there it's an empty space for sad scenes such as this one.
Roger_Paw - at least she had a "relative or caretaker". The person in this photo doesn't, so there's not really room to compare.
@Crazy Eddie--yes the" baby boomer" generation is in for a heavy time ahead. The senior citizens seem to be the group that's taking the hits now. Very troubling indeed.
Also, one more thing. If you see something like this, call 911, not 311. Thanks
@anonymous 10:18 I thought this kind of brazen junkie/homeless development would be welcomed by the good old/bad old days segment of the EV Grieve readership. This is the EV of the 1980s I'm nostalgic for and rarely see anymore!
Hopefully we can look forward to more of this reverse gentrification in the near future!
Very well, then. Carry on!
@Jeremy - It seems you misunderstood my comment. I wasn't comparing the two cases at all but saying I felt sad for unfortunate/unwell people on the whole.
@Crazzy Eddie - I'm so sorry for the loss you went through and the struggle you're going through now. :(
12:45 No one here enjoys human tragedy, you sick freak. We like old buildings and old businesses and we especially like when assholes like you didn't have the internet to interrupt and derail sincere discussions because you're sad about your parents not paying to send you to Tisch or your having to pay market rate for your studio or whatever.
Last week, walking home from work around 6, I saw Larry passed out on 14th st, across from the fire department. A few people came up and freaked out, which got the attention of a paramedic who crossed the street. I see him passed out on a daily basis on A. In passing I told the paramedic that his name was Larry. The paramedic said he knew him, so I went on my way. Strange how no one stops on A, but a crowd assembled on 14th. I suppose we're all just a little more used to it.
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