Concrete Pillows
In New York City
by Herb Bardavid
This is Mario
While sitting in the lounge at Lincoln Center, enjoying coffee with my friend David, I noticed a man walk in who looked strangely familiar. He had a bushy beard and shaggy hair, and for a moment, I couldn't quite place him. But then it clicked-he was someone I had photographed and interviewed a few years ago for my Concrete Pillows blog about homelessness in New York City. His name is Mario.
I quickly pulled out my phone and looked through my photos and blog archives. There he was clean-shaven at the time, but unmistakably the same person. I approached him, reintroduced myself, and showed him the old photos and the story I had written. Mario remembered the encounter and was once again willing to be photographed and interviewed.
When we first met, Mario was 60 years old and homeless. Today, he's 62 and sadly, still without a permanent home.
He told me that after spending some time living with a friend on 66th Street on the Upper West Side, circumstances changed. The friend's girlfriend moved in, and Mario had to move out.
For the past year, Mario has been living on the streets of New York City.
He's developed a routine for survival: he sleeps during the day, finding it safer than sleeping at night. Around 7 PM, he wakes up and walks the streets. He often stops at a nearby McDonald's that's open 24 hours. He told me that he can sit there for an hour or so before being asked to leave. Occasionally, he sleeps there while sitting upright-he even demonstrated how he does it. "No one bothers you if you stay upright," he said.
Like many homeless individuals I've spoken with, Mario refuses to go to shelters. He described them as overcrowded, with 40 or more people in a room, poorly maintained, and unsafe.
"You could easily be robbed while you sleep," he said.
I asked Mario if he had ever managed to save enough to visit his mother in Greece, a goal he had shared during our first meeting. "Not yet," he said, "but that's still my dream."
Since we last met, Mario hasn't had any steady employment. However, his eyes lit up as he recounted stories from his past, when he worked as a "high-end waiter." One highlight of his career, he said with pride, was serving Hillary Clinton. "I made her the best cappuccino she ever had."
One question I always ask the homeless individuals I meet is whether they've eaten
recently and if they're hungry. Mario assured me that he eats every day, thanks to the free meals provided by Goddard Riverside Community Center. But he did voice frustration about his appearance. "I hate this beard and all this hair." he said.
He mentioned a local barber school where he can get a full shave for just three dollars.
Mario admits that alcohol remains a problem in his life and an obstacle to finding work. Yet, he still believes in a better future. "Once I clean up, he said, "I can work again, save money, and visit my mother in Greece. Despite everything, Mario says he's not unhappy. For now, he continues to sleep on the concrete pillows of New York City.