Concrete Pillows
In New York City
by Herb Bardavid
This is Ethan
Walking through the lively intersection of 74th Street and Broadway, I encountered Ethan - a man wearing a crown on his hat. Amid the sea of New Yorkers hurrying to their next destination, he stood still, an enigma of confidence and intrigue. At first glance, I didn't think he was homeless or in distress. He seemed like another New Yorker making a statement in his own way.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to ask. "Why the crown?"
He smiled warmly as though he had been waiting for the question all day. "It's my way of starting conversations with strangers," he explained. "Something I like to do."
It wasn't the response I expected, but it was undeniably New York, a city where conversations bloom from the unlikeliest encounters. Then, he said something that made me pause: "Wearing a crown is my statement about the importance of personal sovereignty."
The phrase hung between us, heavy with meaning and mystery.
I couldn't resist. "What does personal sovereignty mean to you?" I asked.
For the first time, Ethan hesitated, his confident demeanor giving way to a moment of reflection. "I don't know," he admitted. "Usually, when I mention personal sovereignty, people shrug their shoulders and walk away. No one's ever asked me that before."
Ethan is 33 years old. He grew up in South Carolina, graduated from high school, and spent a year and a half at Clemson University before realizing engineering wasn't for him. Seeking something different, he left school and moved to Hawaii. There, he embraced a nomadic life, enjoying what he called the freedom of living "off the grid."
After a couple of years in Hawaii, he turned his sights to New York City, which had long captured his imagination. At 23, Ethan arrived in the Big Apple with an unusual plan: to live on the city's sidewalks, not out of necessity but by choice. He never sought an apartment or job but valued the "untethered" life.
Ethan's early days in New York City were challenging.
He tried to travel light, carrying everything he owned in a few shopping bags, but it wasn't sustainable. He then acquired a shopping cart, which proved equally cumbersome.
Eventually, he obtained a bicycle and a trailer, slowly adding to his setup over the years. Today, he says he's comfortable with his arrangement, a mobile life carefully curated to suit his needs.
Ethan's parents and siblings in South Carolina lead a "normal American lifestyle." They are married with children, and while they maintain traditional homes, Ethan's path has led him far from theirs. The family doesn't talk often as they struggle to understand his choices, and he feels their disapproval of his lifestyle makes conversations difficult.
Ethan's life has not been without its hardships. Living on the street, he has faced harassment from police and business owners who often pressure him to move along. He once spent a night in jail for carrying a knife deemed too long by law enforcement. Despite these challenges, Ethan maintains that he's happy and content sleeping on the concrete pillows of New York's sidewalks.