Sunday, October 19, 2008

What They Want

Big Ken Carlton caught the 2 train at Freeman Street this morning. He threw on his over-stuffed backpack and quickly loaded a folding table, half-a-dozen large boxes and a plastic tarp before the doors closed.

He rode to West 96th Street and then moved everything across the platform and onto the 1 train.

“You gotta be fast,” Big Ken explained. “The train will leave with half your stuff if you’re too slow.”

Big Ken has never lost anything.

“Fear gives me my speed,” he said. “I’m afraid of not being able to pay the rent and not having anything to eat. Losing any of my merchandise would put me out of business for sure.”

Big Ken’s business is selling T-shirts and hats to people headed for the Statue of Liberty.

“They like everything with the tall lady on it,” Big Ken said. “That’s all I used to sell, but people were always asking me about my Yankees hat. They wanted to know where they could buy one.

“So I started bringing some with me,” he continued. “Now I sell more Yankees stuff than I do Liberty. It’s all about giving the people what they want.”

8 comments:

JoeyBoy said...

The Yankees are certainly more popular than any silly statue.

Pete said...

This guy stays in business because he gives his customers what they want. Many businesses could learn something from him.

Skip said...

"more popular than any silly statue"???

is that supposed to be funny?

you need to check yourself.

Henry said...

Wow, you can see the scowl in Skip’s post and he seems quite capable of violence. Is that you John McCain?

Skip said...

nope. just a lifelong new yorker and yankee fan who doesn't see anything "silly" about the statue of liberty.

perhaps you can elucidate, since my sense of humor seems inadequate.

that answer your question, gov. palin?

JoeyBoy said...

Thanks for sticking up for me, Henry. Although I can handle an internet tough guy, especially one that thinks a bunch on concrete and metal is more important than people. If it’s not McCain than it’s Dick Cheney or George Bush for sure.

Olivia said...

This is the craziest argument I have ever seen. How about stopping it now?

Skip said...

joey, if you can't follow my words, at least try to stay on top of your own.
this started with the Yankees being "more popular" than the statue of liberty. it's a bizarre statement; want to take that poll in boston?
but then you switch to concrete and metal being "more important" than people. and that's a different story, but, no, i don't think that a structure is more important than people, and that includes Yankee Stadium.
i don't, however, think that a baseball team, as opposed to the players as people, is more important than the statue.
i don't know what you two are so scared of. i didn't say anything aggressive or imply any violence.
man up, fellas.