One Hundred Dollars a Day

Canner on 184th Street

Canner on 184th Street

This fellow makes $100 a day, collecting redeemable bottles and cans. He emphasized that one hundred dollars was his typical day, not just an especially good one. He works from 7AM to 4PM, six days a week, and sends back $300 a week to Puerto Rico. Apparently he knows the approximate volume of cans that will add up to $100. It’s getting more competitive, he said. In the past, he could sometimes collect his $100 worth by 1 or 2 PM; now he has to stay out until 4:00 or 4:30. After we finished chatting, he scaled the fence behind him to get into the trash in an alley back there.

Smiling guy on Valentine Avenue

Smiling guy on Valentine Avenue

As I was snapping a picture of a park, this guy bounded out his car, heading my way as it happened. “You didn’t get me,” he joked. “Well, let’s take care of that right away. … Smile!” And so he did. We walked along for a block or so, and exchanged a few pleasantries. There are pessimists and optimists everywhere.

unofficial Puerto Rican park on Valentine Avenue

unofficial Puerto Rican park on Valentine Avenue

This was the unofficial park that I was photographing when my smiling friend approached.

El Nuevo Valle Restaurant

El Nuevo Valle Restaurant

Good Hispanic restaurants like this are fairly common, but not abundant, in the Bronx. Typically near a subway/elevated station. I look for ones that have both lots of customers and available tables. Most have lunch specials – chicken, rice & beans, and drink for $5 or $6, is typical. The food is always muy delicioso. And it’s fun to see how much of the transaction I can carry on in Spanish.