Not all heroes are FDNY. What about the man on the free food circuit? The guy who struggles with the hassles of public transportation - the various connections and transfers, the slow service, the shady characters, and the funky stench of body odor - all for the sake of a decent meal. Hours are spent each evening scouring every inch of the newspaper, watching television commercials with the eye of a hawk, hanging on every word of the radio announcers, or taking in whatever media is available, all in the hopes of catching that grand opening, one-year anniversary sale, or end-of-the-year blowout where hors d'oeuvres, finger foods, or possibly even sub sandwiches are being given out to the public, free of charge. Mixing in at large family reunions and crashing company Memorial Day picnics are all part of the sacrifice one must make to find free, quality eats. The amount of energy, time, and focus put into this task are almost superhuman in scope, but the rewards can be great. A day spent crossing town to reach Golden Corral on Veteran's Day, where those who served our country (hey, he used to be a waiter!) are given free steak dinners, is a memorable high point. But not everything is rosy in the lives of these selfless heroes. Sometimes the personal risk and disappointment can be too, too much. Occasionally buses are missed. Extended hikes along Church and Granby Streets in 90-degree heat, through neighborhoods where curses and threats are fired like bullets and the sweat dripping from foreheads into eyes can almost become blinding, crush the human spirit of these brave souls. Especially when one reaches his destination only to find locked doors, false advertising, or worse, unworthy spreads. Oh, the tragedy of it all!
Louts and layabouts, America’s forgotten heroes.