Greenpoint, Brooklyn — © Brian Rose

And Jesus! Wit dat, he pulls it out of his pocket, an’ so help me, but he’s got it – he’s tellin’ duh troot – a big map of duh whole f______ place with all duh different pahts mahked out. You know – Canarsie an’ East Noo Yawk an’ Flatbush, Bensonhoist, Sout’ Brooklyn, duh Heights, Bay Ridge, Greenpernt – duh whole goddam layout, he’s got it right deh on duh map.
“You been to any of dose places?” I says.
“Sure,” he says. “I been to most of ’em. I was down in Red Hook just last night,” he says.
“Jesus! Red Hook!” I says. “Whatcha do down deh?”
“Oh,” he says, “nuttin’ much. I just walked aroun’. I went into a coupla places an’ had a drink,” he says, “but most of the time I just walked aroun’.”
“Just walked aroun’?” I says.
“Sure,” he says, “just lookin’ at t’ings, y’know.”

Thomas Wolfe, Only the Dead Know Brooklyn, 1935

Greenpoint, Brooklyn — © Brian Rose

Greenpoint, Brooklyn — © Brian Rose

Greenpoint, Brooklyn — © Brian Rose

Greenpoint, Brooklyn — © Brian Rose

Car accident shrine, Greenpoint, Brooklyn — © Brian Rose