From The New York Shitty Photo Pool: Shy

Chris Arnade (who took the above photograph) writes:

Shy, 46, born and raised in the projects of East New York, fell in love with pigeons when he was six. “I was always watching them. I got sent to a camp one summer and spent most of the time watching the birds.” In his late teens he got into drugs, dealing and smoking crack. It ended with eleven years in jail for manslaughter, the result of a deal gone bad. He was released in 99 and has been clean since. “Jail changed me. I saw guys in there who ain’t ever coming out. Ever.”

Now he does some odd construction jobs, spending most of his free time on the roof of an abandoned building where he keeps his birds. “I got no need for attitude anymore, thats all gone. I am just happy sitting up here tending to my birds. I aint got much else, but when I am up here I can be happy and hope something better comes the next day.”

When I asked him how he wanted to be described he said “Simple and humble. Didn’t used to be, and it landed me in lots of trouble. Now I am content.”