In other news (that likely nobody here will care about, but it had to be said), Eric Smith died yesterday, August 1, 2014. Up until 9:30 PM on 8/1/14 I didnt even know his last name. He was just Eric, the friendly, bearded, older homeless black gentleman who camped out on Broadway mid- block between 79th and 80th, always said good morning and smiled, and was most appreciative for any food you purchased for him/gave him as long as it didnt have pork in it and he could easily chew with the few teeth he had left. He was a Pepsi drinker and an avid reader of whatever newspaper he got his hands on as was apparent by the multiple times I spotted him sitting on a milk crate engrossed in a story. Im certain his life wasnt a picnic; you dont end up dying in the doorway of a shop on Broadway overnight if youve lived a charmed and easy life, but despite his hardships apparently he was appreciated as evidenced by the small sidewalk memorial set up in his honor by local merchants whose stores he sat in front of every day. His absence as a fixture on the Upper West Side will be noted.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 08:36:06 +0000