Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 435

"I got it when I was young. I made the mistake of trying to stop...

"I got it when I was young. I made the mistake of trying to stop someone from picking on me."

"I’m trying to figure out what my dreams are."

"I’m trying to figure out what my dreams are."

Wanted to share with you guys a letter I got today, because I...

Wanted to share with you guys a letter I got today, because I think it’s a testament to the community of people who follow this blog. I’ve also attached the photo/caption referenced in the letter. I get nervous as the blog grows that the culture will fall apart, but with 2.7 million and counting— the HONY comment section remains a sort of rare internet jewel where everyone, for the most part, is really nice. And when there is a mean comment, it sticks out as an anomaly, instead of the other way around. So thanks for that.

Hi Brandon, 

I’m Ted, we met getting off the Six at Grand Central. When I got home Sunday evening, I had an e-mail from friends in Chicago. One of their daughters reads your blog (is that what it is called?), and recognized me even though she has never seen me with a beard. I am astounded! I’ve read about 1000 of the comments, words cannot express how touched I am by what I have read. Its actually more than touched, it has been very emotional to read the wonderful things people have said. A couple people appear confused about what happened, for the record she had acute myelogenous leukemia, we were diagnosed July 2008, we lost our battle February 20 2013, not quite a year ago. Thanks for doing this, it has really touched my life. The most wonderful people in the world read your material and comment on it. 

———————————-

"At first we kept saying: ‘We’re going to beat it. We’re going to beat it.’ Then after awhile we began to realize that we might not beat it. Then toward the end, it became clear that we definitely weren’t going to beat it. That’s when she started telling me that she wanted me to move on and find happiness with somebody else. But I’m not quite there yet. Not long ago a noise woke me up in the middle of the night, and I rolled over to ask if she needed anything."

"I love crazy!"

"I love crazy!"

"When I was born, my dad had a wife and kids, and I don’t...

"When I was born, my dad had a wife and kids, and I don’t think he wanted me to disrupt that world. So he never wanted anything to do with me." 
"You should try again now that you’re older."
"I tried last year."

"I told her that if she wanted to start over, to meet where we...

"I told her that if she wanted to start over, to meet where we first kissed. She was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago."

"She’s taught me to be a better communicator." "In what...

"She’s taught me to be a better communicator." 
"In what way?"
"I used to let my anger get the best of me a lot, and I’d be really quick to write people off and hold grudges. She’s helped me view conflicts within the framework of a friendship, as opposed to seeing them as the end of a friendship."

"What’s your biggest remaining goal in life?""Honestly, I...

"What’s your biggest remaining goal in life?"
"Honestly, I just want to keep on. I’ve got a job with The City, and it’s hard to do much better than that. I’ve got a pension. I’ve got benefits. And there’s no better job security. You’ve got to fire yourself if you work for The City. You have to do wrong. If I work at that store across the street, they can tell me they don’t need my services anymore. The City can’t do that."

"I’m around eighty years old. I’m not going to say...

"I’m around eighty years old. I’m not going to say exactly how old because my friends might see this. But the important thing is to keep moving! I just got back from Carnegie Hall, and yesterday I swam a quarter mile. But that’s nothing. Two years ago I was in Syria when Egypt blew up."

"Wait. What’s the name of your blog?""Humans of New...

"Wait. What’s the name of your blog?"
"Humans of New York."
"Oh! Is that a book too?"
"It is."
"My girlfriend gave me that book for Christmas!"
"Sounds like you didn’t read it."
"Oh, I don’t mean that, you know…"
"It’s OK. I don’t mind if you didn’t read it."
"Well, you know, I…you know, it looks good… you know… I skimmed it."