The Happy Hermit of Times Square

A homeless man and his brother attempt to reconnect on and under the streets of Manhattan.  

      Harold decided to visit his estranged brother Morrie, who lived alone in the cellar of his building near Times Square.  Harold had received a phone call from his brother who sounded desperate and troubled.  He’d visit Morrie and lend him money so he could eat and survive.   Manhattan rent was unaffordable for many but Morrie had luckily procured a rent stabilized apartment off of West 45th, not far from Hells Kitchen.  Unfortunately, he’d been evicted after not paying rent for a year and ended up squatting in his building’s cellar.  

   Harold lived in Woodside in a modest high rise studio overlooking busy Queens Boulevard.   He subsisted on unemployment subsidies after leaving his position writing obituaries for a newspaper, one with declining circulation.  He’d grown disenchanted and bored writing obits, and was recently let go after receiving lousy performance reviews from his editor, who also soon got laid off.  Harold considered distracting his brother by reading a few of his recent obits, which had included splices of maudlin humor.