Pleas for the bench's return are going viral on Instagram, as a growing number of residents and businesses are sharing the images taken from surveillance footage.
The Post is also on the story, referring to the alleged bench takers as "shameless 'pumpkin spice' thieves." (There is some thought that the two believed the bench had been discarded and was available to stoop.)
The shop opened in 2020 ... and the bench was a way "to ensure clients had a comfortable place to wait in the COVID-free fresh air."
Per co-owner Josh Livingston: "The bench has sentimental value for us. It was a labor of love. It's sturdy and long enough for people to social distance. Can I get another bench? Yes, but you can't just take things."
There is a reward for the return.
Those girls look fairly affluent, as in, able to afford to buy their own bench. DISGUSTING and not attractive. I hope they get shamed into returning it. Man, no manners, no manners at all. Who just takes things from the front of a business? Clearly it was there for customers!
ReplyDeleteWhile these individuals may have taken the bench innocently, one cannot help but wonder how bemused and with the possibility of innocence the reporting around this story would be if the culprits were Black or Brown. That is, there’s a presumption of innocence or at least the lack of subtextual vitriol that usually surrounds reports of the same type of property theft when perpetrated by members of other communities.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like these two ladies thought the bench was garbage and decided to take it. There is a lot of “dumpster diving”.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly dressed up for dumpster diving, are they...?
Delete12:02: Dumpster diving literally means it was in the dumpster or totally obvious garbage/discards by the curb and/or in the street. This was a bench in front of a business, clearly not the same idea. Business was open, in fact, so they could have easily asked first. No, they knew exactly what they were doing (and if asked who have likely used that excuse: "Oh, we thought it was a discard."). That's why they just took it.
ReplyDeleteWhy oh why all the Racial subtest over...Nothing? Two young girls being IDIOTS as many young people are (yes INCLUDIDG ME when I was their age!) took the bench. Simple. end-of-story. Instead we get a whole Racial History and subtext about something so Innocently Dumb.
ReplyDeleteTechnically it is on public property, not private.
ReplyDeleteOh have a heart, they are probably just trying to rebuild their million dollar beachfront homes that got washed away during Hurricane Ian on Sanibel Island. Upper class people have to put up with a lot of inconveniences these days, including climate change, a shortage of rooftop party spaces, pretending to support military aid to Ukraine and Democrats trying to save Medicare and Social Security, and paying more taxes than all you poor people out there in your rent controlled walkups, so what is one permanenetly borrowed used bench in the big scheme of things? Next you'll want them to sell their Taylor Swift albums to help clean up Tompkins Square Park, where they stack their Starbucks cups on top of overflowing garbage cans. Where does it end?
ReplyDeletenot dumpster diving. it's called "STOOPING" these days. go to "stoopingnyc" or "stoopingdowntown" on instagram.
ReplyDelete@Giovanni....very richly said.
ReplyDeleteFurther it sounds like "Rich Kids Blues" (TerryReid) to me ;>)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS1ncEkIeQ8
@Dr Bop Yes, thats exactly what I’m talking about. Rich people get so little credit for all the good things they do for the rest of us, like gentrification, which will eventually lead to the elimination of all crime and human suffering, but only after those things get much, much worse for just a little while longer. When will people understand that God invented poor people (and SantaCon) so that rich people would feel even richer and superior to everyone else? In other words, most of us wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for the obscene hoarding of excessive wealth by the lucky few. Jesus died poor so that the rich could have more.
ReplyDelete@Giovanni
ReplyDeleteWell, Jesus did die for somebody's sins......but not mine!
;>)
They had it on a public sidewalk near the curb. The girls looked at it, thought it was nice and shouldn't be trash, so they took it. Doesn't look like a dramatic heist. I don't know why this barbeshop acts like this was some sort of robbery. Don't leave your shit on public property and then act like you got robbed. Though I'd love the bench in comparison to how the restaurants have somehow been allowed to still take over all the sidewalks around here.
ReplyDeleteAnything put on the street is fair game.
ReplyDelete