Jill Freedman, Street Cops

from Jill Freedman's recently reissued photography book "Street Cops" published by Setanta Books

 

www.setantabooks.com/product/street-cops/

 

Riding up Third, we pick up a job at a restaurant. Some dirty crazy guy ate up a bill and had no money. A real fat guy.

 

Andy says, Where do you live?" and he says, "On the street sir. I just hit town from Delaware."

 

Andy says, "You knew this was wrong, didn't you? That you had no money to pay for what you ate?" and he says, "Yes sir, bit it was delicious. The food was just delicious. You should bring your family here, your wife, bring all your kids. The club sandwich was great, and the fish was excellent. Fresh. Washed it down with two cold beers, it was excellent."

 

Andy says, "I see you had apple pie." "Yes sir!" he says. "It was delicious."

 

Andy says, "So you haven't got any money to pay for this, huh?"

 

"Yes sir," he says. "I got money. I got one thousand four hundred dollars coming from the government any day now. The Department of the Treasury, that's where I get my money, same as you. And I told the man that I will pay him as soon as my check arrives. You know the government, always late."

 

Andy says, "So you haven't got any money to pay for this, huh?" And he says, "Not a penny."

 

On the way in he laughed loud and smelled bad, talking about how New York jails have the best food in the country, double-A.

 

"We got the Hatter here." Andy said. "Where's Alice?"

 

He had a bad moment at the station house when they nearly let him go.

 

"Nowhere to go, nuthin to eat," he muttered.

 

But they booked him, and we left him cuffed to a bench.

 

"We got the Hatter here," said Andy.

Done