New York Shitty Day Starter: “Shotgun”

Ordinarily this would qualify as a “person in my neighborhood” but “Shotgun” (as seen in the above photo at right) was so extraordinary I felt he deserved a post of his own. Here it is.

Yesterday and friend and I went for a walk. Just to mix things up I decided we would go to the “hinterlands” of the Garden Spot— in other words: east of Kingsland Avenue, due south to the on ramp to the Kosciuszko Bridge and beyond.

It was at the intersection of Vandervoort Avenue and Cherry Street— an area which can best be described as the “armpit” of Greenpoint— that we encountered a truck selling watermelons, potatoes, fruits, nuts and vegetables. And a very unexpected ray of sunshine.

Or would that be “Shotgun”  Having interfaced with a number of gun nuts in my life— mostly from the south— I asked the proprietor what gives.

After striking a pose (actually two) he told me:

That’s my nickname! Are you a visitor?

Me: Yes, I’m a visitor… from THAT (pointing north) end of Greenpoint.

SHOTGUN: Greenpoint? That’s (pointing north) over there!

Me: But I am over here! I like to be a tourist in my own neighborhood…

(Laughter)

Me: I hope you have some earplugs or aspirin, Shotgun. How can you deal with all this noise?

SHOTGUN:

Hell, I’m 70 years old. I can take it!

(Even more laughter)

Anyone who can spend 8+ hours next to the:

• loudest
• filthiest and
• overall depressing

part of the Garden Spot and still have a sense humor, much less display a joie de vivre rarely seen by anyone nowadays, gets my infinite respect, admiration, and yes— affection.

I really like you, Shotgun. You rock!

Miss Heather

*Lest I have offended anyone by calling this area such, it was not intended. I use this term with tongue firmly placed in cheek.