Each morning as I conclude the final leg of my commute I see a familiar face and I smile. The face I speak of is a gentleman that joyfully hands out issues of AM New York at the top of the steps of the 59th street subway stop in Columbus Circle.
Though I really don’t know much about him I feel compelled to write this p
ost. Firstly, his name is Steven. I know this because he buoyantly introduces himself, to EVERYONE every morning. Secondly, he’s become the topic of conversation in our office so many times that I feel like I owe him one. He makes us smile, and I think that’s a gift.
He stands at the entrance (or exit) of one of the busiest subway stops in one of the largest cities in the world, and hands out the news. He could do so quietly; head down pass, grab, fold repeat. However he chooses to do so with flair, and I think that’s awesome. I first became aware of Steven’s quick wit when he offered a very attractive young lady a paper by saying “can I buy you a paper Miss” after she said “no thank you” he followed up with “Can I buy you a house”…this got her laughing, along with the rest of the mass of humanity walking behind her. This guy is funny, period.
Last week when I took this photo is was so hot that I felt like I had jumped into a pool with my clothes on. Steven was creative. He didn’t pedal newspapers, instead he positioned his product as a “heat deterrent” demonstrating his product by aggressively fanning himself. It worked, I took one.
Another day there was rain, and you guessed it; “get your free umbrella”…I laughed, and took one, even though I had an umbrella.
Finally, what I think is great about Steven is that he’s always smiling, seems to enjoy his job, does it well, and does it with purpose. I don’t know his story. I don’t know how he got this job. Although our intern here at Buddy Media has written a fantastic post about Journalism and why we should all read these free ad supported publications. Read it here
The best thing about Steven is that he makes people smile. He rules, and I thought I’d share this little New York tidbit with you. So if you’re ever in our great city and you need a paper. Swing by Columbus Circle, and look for Steven. He’ll hand you a paper with a smile, and most likley make you laugh; somehow.
