Hobo Lifestyles #10

A Grand Night Out

by Tyler Carey

It's quite frequent to see a few of the Great Hoboes tipping glasses at one of the bars of the Lower East Side on a Friday evening. For that matter, it's quite frequent to see a few of the Great Hoboes tipping glasses at any bar any night of the week. Friday is the usual get together night for a good sized crew of the collective, though. A recent Friday saw an odd sight though - a gross majority of the NY-based Hoboes all gathered in one place. Maybe it was the coming war that gave us a sense of the need for togetherness. Maybe it was the fact that Brewsky's had just tapped a cheap keg of beer and there were less expensive pints there that night than any of our usual hangouts. Maybe it was just that a long time fellow traveller of the Hoboes was in town - Collin Lynch. Collin, our friend from Alaska, and his charming girlfriend Min were up for a few days to take in the sights in New York. Beer being our favorite sight, an evening of beverages was begun...

	Collin and Min arrived before the rest of us, but they psychically know to sit in the corner booth - home to the Great Hoboes.
	Some of the usual gang of idiots, as well as a number of guests. Back row, from left: Erica Stuckwisch, Wade Stuckwisch, Gareth Edel, Collin Lynch, Stephan Edel. Foreground: Gus Andrews, Benni Pierce, Jacob Chabot. Talk centered heavily on the then pending war, our various job situations, the need to travel abroad, and the wishes for the coming thaw...
	Presidential Candidate Mark Hugo (far right) arrives. Filmmaker Benni Pierce (second from Right) was very excited about this. Jacob and Gus ate French Fries...ahem...Belgian Frites from Pommes Frites (123 2nd Ave, between 7th & 8th St.).
	Mark and Gus enjoyed sketches from the new issue of Jacob's The Mighty Skullboy Army.
	The Presidential Candidate goes seeking a First Lady.
	How big is it really, Mark?
	Wade discusses his feelings about the current crop of movies, while Gareth mulls over where he will go stoop-sit after we finish drinking. Min, in the foreground talks with Stephan (out of frame) about China. Stephan recently returned from an extended trip to Southeast Asia, which will be the focus of his first article for the Great Hoboes. No, he was not the asshole who brought that Hong Kong flu to America.
	Our loyal bartender Adrian laughs at "Fight Club" in the background, while Hobo-fellow-traveller Tim Mann expresses his feelings about the war, and Gareth shakes his head at one of my off-color comments.
	Stephan, just as he reminded me that it was my turn to pay the tab. The aftermath was not pretty.
	Mark, about to leave for the evening. His last words before dashing out into the cold rain and snow were, "Just remember, those Republocrat fuckers might've stolen the election from me once, but you can't keep a Great Hobo down!" Hear hear, Candidate Hugo! Go out and make us proud.

Another grand night out for the Great Hoboes. Keep the well wishes, feedback, and ideas coming. And thanks for reading.

Tyler M. Carey
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, The Great Hoboes of New York
March, 2003