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The City That Never Sleeps
I have never understood why New York City is called this. If what I have seen over the years is any indication there are people sleeping all over our fair city. In North Brooklyn McCarren Park seems to be a napping spot of choice.
Unless one is homeless I cannot profess to understand this practice. Sleeping in public opens up one’s person to a variety of unsavory number acts. I learned about a number of such deeds from a Sargent at the Briarwood headquarters of the Transit Police several years ago. First you have the lush workers. These are the people who case drunks on the subway and steal their wallets. One evening “the Sargent” was on “lushworker” duty. He spied a rather intoxicated gentleman in a subway car and watched him.
Sure enough, someone ducked in and started to move in. When the constabulary came to the rescue what they found was completely unexpected; their “perp” was administering oral sex to this man. Both were taken into custody and the “recipient” was told what happened to him once he sobered up. One can only imagine the look on his face when he got the news.
Simply put, there are many reasons not to sleep in public. If being robbed or becoming the participant in some anonymous subway sex act is not enough to motivate people to be more mindful of their surroundings, maybe being watched with rapt interest by some drunk dude is. And that’s what I saw in McCarren Park last weekend.
The footage video does not do this scenario justice. I shit you not this chap spent a good ten seconds just staring at this woman. Had this man been in better control of his faculties who knows what he would have done? The lesson here is a simple one: a lot of criminal acts are crimes of opportunity. If you do not give someone the opportunity to commit a crime, it is very unlikely one will occur. McCarren Park is not your backyard.
Be careful.
Miss Heather
Comments
4 Comments on The City That Never Sleeps
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bitchcakes on
Tue, 26th Aug 2008 1:30 pm
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Lorimer on
Tue, 26th Aug 2008 1:49 pm
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dearbirthday on
Tue, 26th Aug 2008 2:17 pm
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d on
Tue, 26th Aug 2008 5:34 pm
I swear you’re in my head today! I considered blogging about this too-
I was just cycling through the park on Friday and thought the same thing as I saw countless non-homeless types napping in the park- midday! I just don’t get it. Who thinks “Gee, It’s so beautiful outside. How can I enjoy the day? I know- I’ll go to the park, put down a blanket and fall asleep. That way, I’m out in the fine weather, but relaxing.” I mean seriously- is that the thought process??
It just seems so ridiculous an idea in general. But the security issues you raised are an especially good reason not to do this.
You should be careful even when you’re awake! I’ve been chased through McCarren Park at night while walking my dog by some guy making kissing noises at me. And is it just me, or is the drunk guy situation getting worse? I’ve lived down the street from McCarren for seven years and have never seen it so bad. Makes me sad to watch little kids playing on a nice afternoon while some dude is peeing on a tree or vomiting on the grass only a few feet away from them.
oh man. well count me in as one who has had that idea countless times (seriously bitchcakes, you’ve never thought a nap in the grass sounded nice?) but has never actually fallen asleep. i like to think that most of those people just have their eyes closed momentarily and aren’t truly napping, but you’re right that it’s far too easy to be lulled into complacency around here.
I can fall asleep quite easily at home – but not in public. There is some sixth sense that always jerks me awake if I’m not somewhere “safe” to lose consciousness. It’s annoying on long plane rides though when I want to pass the hell out. I always see people sleeping in McCarren though so good call posting about it.
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