This man, not known to the residents here on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square, decided to fire up a grill on the stoop.
Paul Kostabi was around to take these photos.
The man used the entire can of lighter fluid. The grill caught on fire.
Someone called the fire department.
The NYPD also stopped by.
In the end, the man was told to leave. And he was allowed to take his meat with him.
AHAHAHAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteYikes. That could have been a lot worse. He is lucky he didn't get burned.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile at the 13th Step, a Bro has vomiting all of his internal organs onto the sidewalk while his friends teabag his unconscious body yet that goes unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteHe was going to sell that food! See how the city harasses small business owners?
ReplyDeleteIt's not smart to play with fire, especially on the steps of an old building full of apartments. Can you imagine sitting on someone's steps and firing up a barbecue?
ReplyDeleteMy old block. When I lived there in the 80's people did far, far worse things on our steps.
ReplyDeleteThat's right somehow all the worlds ills can be traced back to the 13th step
ReplyDeleteUpon arrival of the FDNY and the NYPD the meat was pronounced dead at the scene.
ReplyDeleteBoy times sure have changed. I recall a day in the early 1980s when a drug dealer on my block over-sampled his own wares and flipped out, running around the block in nothing but his glasses and tighty-whities, waving a .45 and screaming maniacally. I called the Ninth - no 911 yet - to report it, and they didn't even bother to send a squad car to check it out...
ReplyDeleteOfficer Chokehold to the rescue! My hero!
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of that rather extended summer blackout of maybe 10 years ago, by about the 2nd night when everyone realized that whatever perishables were in the fridge were not going to survive, and many spontaneous barbecues arose in the streets. I met people that night with whom I had lived silently on the block for more than a decade in some cases, became friends to this day. This guy is OK just 10 years too late.
ReplyDeleteThey were just bringing the pepper spray for his burgers and face.
ReplyDeleteHe was starting a new foodie trend and concept: farm-to-stoop and BYOG -- bring your own grill.
ReplyDeleteAs stupid as it is to light an open fire on the stoop of an old building full of residential apartments, my heart really goes out to the guy. He seems like a simple guy who wanted to grill some steak, and it was probably a stretch for him to procure the grill/charcoal/meat. Very few places he can do that in the city. I wish I could buy him a nice steak.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe some of these BS excuse apologetic comments. If this stoned, shit-for-brains had been some drunk, white"bro", everybody would be jumping all over his head.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 9:30 AM, July 29, 2014,
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, and echo all your sentiments. I'd like to chip in with you to buy a nice steak for that man as well.
(In the photos it looks like there is something like a potato also?)
--Former East Villager
I feel for the guy too but he could've walked a few blocks out to E River park and had himself a grand old cookout without any bullshit hassles. Instead he picks a really bad spot to start a coal fire. Smooth move ex lax.
ReplyDelete" If this stoned, shit-for-brains had been some drunk, white"bro", everybody would be jumping all over his head."
ReplyDeleteBut he wasn't so...
dude just wanted a steak.
ReplyDeleteI tried to grill peas once. Didn't work out. Fuckers kept falling through the grate.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else who wants to grill can go right over to the East River. This guy shouldn't have placed that grill on the stairs. He made it even worse by sitting a few steps below. He is lucky the damn thing didn't tumble onto him and set him on fire. Crazy how that pregnant lady was put in a choke hold by police the other day for grilling in front of her own house and this guy doesn't get arrested.
ReplyDeleteThe 13th Step has earned their right to be the punchline to every dude/bro/binge/purge/std joke told. That frathole is nothing but a nuisance and the NYPD choose to look the other way.
ReplyDelete"But he wasn't so…"
ReplyDeleteWow. Concept of a double standard… Woosh!
Right over your head, huh?
Oh I got it, you just make a weak point.
ReplyDelete"If this stoned, shit-for-brains had been some drunk, white"bro", everybody would be jumping all over his head."
ReplyDeleteThere was an EV Grieve post, a bit back, about a drunk white bro. His foolish and dangerous behavior ended in his being carted off, unconscious, in an ambulance. Some blog readers jumped all over his head, and other blog readers were quite sympathetic and concerned about him. I didn't comment then, but I was of two minds about the whole incident, as was the EV Grieve reader who posted about the incident.
I would venture however, if this hapless amateur BBQer did somehow set fire to Croman's apartment or burn down a Shaoul property in development, many would be singing justice, laughter would be echoing in the EV and the confused but happy dude would be fêted with steak?
--Former East Villager
PS: When I looked at the photos and saw the burning embers and the man's BBQ dreams crumbling around him, I couldn't help but remember Tad's Steaks...!
This guy was the victim of an assault I had as a pick-up a few years ago when I worked in the 7th Pct. A guy threw him down the stairs at the Essex and delancey train station. He is a sweet guy who has utterly damaged his brain through years of boozing. If you see him on the street, buy him a meal... He can use it.
ReplyDeletei admire yet pity him
ReplyDelete