Kirk Davidson at his book stand on Thursday.
By Jessica Brockington
A week and a half after the police confiscated thousands of his books, book vendor Kirk Davidson is back on Broadway between 72nd and 73rd Street, and he says he’s not going anywhere. In fact he’s willing to sleep on the street in front of his books to protect his spot.
In the 30 years Davidson has sold used books along Broadway he says he has had his books confiscated by the police about 15 times. He has been issued over 200 tickets, most of which he says have been dismissed.
“I’ve lost once or twice [in court],” he says. “I’m batting pretty well.”
His books are typically donated by neighbors and reflect the diverse intellectual pursuits of residents of the Upper West Side.
On July 5th, the 20th Precinct confiscated all of Davidson’s books using ECB code 16-22B which Davidson says is a citation for storing property overnight on the sidewalk. Council member Helen Rosenthal told us she supported the action, because the vendors were unlawfully “using the sidewalk as their private storage space.”
Davidson says that he’s not doing anything wrong — and that other vendors also leave their goods out overnight. He points to the plastic kiosks holding free copies of Epoch Weekend, amNY and other newspapers. “They’re allowed to store it – and I’m not. Different rules for different people and the little guy is still getting stepped on.”
He said he has had his books completely removed from the sidewalk by the police approximately 15 times.
“One body per table — its an old law that they’re choosing to enforce. It’s been on the books for a long time but now they’re enforcing it to control the vending population.”
He employs other men to work with him during the day – four guys for three tables.
Thursday evening at 7:45 p.m., the assignment to enforce “16-22B” fell to Police Officers Etter and Schlissel, who waited patiently first in their squad car and then on the sidewalk as Davidson removed books from one table onto another. At 10:20 p.m. PO Schlissel was parked in the same spot.
“We’re not going home for a month or two. This is a war,” said Davidson. “We don’t plan on leaving. Since they’re pushing statutes, we can’t leave. If I’m not here someone else will be here. We’re soldiers.”
Asked what rights he was referring to, Davidson said “First Amendment Rights. Freedom of Speech – highest law in the land.”
He’s not mad at the police officers. He wryly observes that “They make sure the City is safe from me and my books…This is old. This ain’t nothing new. Police 24 hours a day protecting me. I prefer to be positive. They’re following orders; and I am no saint. Truly speaking. I’m a bookseller, not a saint.”
Officers Etter and Schlissel deferred any public comment to the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. “Nothing personal, but you need to go to DCPI,” Officer Schlissel said.
According to the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, the agency responsible for the Environmental Control Board (ECB) ticket issued to Davidson, he was charged on June 25th with ECB code 16-120E “Improper use of Department of Sanitation litter basket.” His court date is set for July 25th.
Records show his last ECB ticket was in July 2013 for ECB code 20-465B “Using more than 8 feet parallel to, or 3 feet from, curb.”
He says that if he should leave to go to the bathroom, the officers in the squad car would take all of his books, most of which were given to him by neighbors. He said they’ve been on his corner every day, all day, day and night, since July 5th when they took all his books, and issued a ticket for violation of ECB code 16-22B.
“They’ve got me in a corner. I’m fighting for my survival. I don’t have a super I can stick these books with, or a van I can pack them in. Four or five years ago I could pay guys to be here.” But he says the guys who have been working for him recently drink and that’s been the source of the pressure he’s getting now.
“Of course it’s the guys. They are drinking and hollering and screaming at people. That’s part of the problem.“
Kirk is a veteran – served 2 months in the infantry. Most of that in Kissinger, Germany in a transportation unit. He was honorably discharged and could get a veteran’s permit but selling books doesn’t require one. He had a hip replaced December 7th, 2015.
“Guys need help. They need a bathroom. We’re not getting jobs.”
The loyal customers are what keep him going. “I have a lot of great customers. A lot of good people, so I stay on even when things aren’t right.”
Neighbors have been giving him books. Asked who the neighbor was – he said it was a well-known actress. “A very nice friend and well-known actress. She could have taken them to the Strand and sold them, but she gave them to me. She went out of her way to bless me.”
“Please come and buy my books. Say some nice words. I’m clean and sober. Other guys are basically not and that changes everything.”
“Books are a real big deal and that’s one of the things that keeps me going. Reading helped change me! A good book will save your life.”
I have very mixed feelings about this. One of his helpers (the guy with the scraggly beard) is clearly mentally ill. I’ve seen him screaming obscenities at people. One time I sneezed as I walked by, and he cursed me out and told me to cover my mouth (which I had, by the way). I don’t think that bookselling should be prohibited, but I also don’t think they should be allowed to leave the books on the street overnight. One person to a table seems like a good rule.
Mr Davidson correctly points out the kiosks holding copies of newspapers. I would think that publishers would need permission or pay a fee to plant their kiosks. There are kiosks in midtown that hold both free newspapers and those that require payment, and are there becuase of organizations like Grand Central Partnership, for example.
why not its a dent pay for some one trying to get ahead
I agree that the angry dude constantly yelling at everyone is the main problem. He’s obviously not well and it’s nice for him to have a job, but he almost singlehandedly eroded goodwill for these vendors.
I would agree with you Jim, but remember mentally ill people sit all over our neighborhood asking for money. I’m not sure the bookselling is the problem.
We have a mentally ill person running our city.
At least until elections of 2017.
Well we have to deal with hose problems one at a time and he’s up
I’m all for returning the sidewalk to the people, but referring to the book sellers as “hose problems”, while perhaps a creative solution, seems a bit more aggressive than necessary.
yeah, one of his helpers called me a fat whore. I’ll be shopping from this guy never and encouraging the police to do everything they can to shut down his ridiculous operation. If you don’t have the means to transport your merchandise then pick different merchandise or a location that doesn’t require (by law) it to be moved each night.
Merchandise? Weren’t not talking about Amazon here…
*We’re not
Yes, it’s not Amazon. Thank God. His books are affordable, he hasn’t created a monopoly and he’s not a beast boss like Jeff Bezos.
Kirk always has a nice selection.
“Books are a real big deal and that’s one of the things that keeps me going. Reading helped change me! A good book will save your life.”
agreed
blah blah blah. If he says he’s willing to sleep on the street to protect his spot, then he’s clearly admitting that he’s leaving books out overnight and is a vagrant. Let him play by the rules or confiscate/ticket/arrest. I’m tired of people shooting their mouths off with their own interpretations of the laws under which we maintain a civil society. Bleeding heart liberals need not reply.
“blah blah blah.”
Interesting interpretation.
Good riddance – I applauded the police action and wish they would hassle that loser on 68th & Columbus too … That guy has a 30′ long pile of books and smells up the block with his acrid cigar all day.
Charlie has lots of great books but his prices are much higher than Kirk’s prices.
He’s a true UWS character who knows literature.
Maybe he should be landmarked?
tired of this whining shit….time to clean the slime from this city
He just needs to leave! Disgusting free loaders
Yeah. Boo books!!
Good, fight the power. Don’t let the yuppies win. Amazing finds in those book stands.
No, it’s not a war, it’s the law. He’s violating that law and will be held to the same standard as anyone else. While it seems to be confusing to some UWSR readers, this guy and his cohorts actually don’t have any legal right to operate around the clock, play loud music, offend pedestrians, etc. There are laws in place to protect others against those activities and they apply to him.
If there was a war, he lost, and we’re all better for it.
I have to say it has been extremely pleasant to not have the books lined up in front of my bldg these past weeks. many of the owners in the bldg he has been in front of want him to go away. It’s a filthy dirty nuisance and really how many people would ever consider purchasing a book that has been plucked out of the trash? Maybe he should attend the council meetings and hear what people really have to say about his presence btwn west 72nd and 73rd.
No vendors should be permitted to leave their materials or goods on the street. They have no right to a dedicated space unless their permit grants them such a right. These stalls are supposed to be temporary and removed nightly.
As to the suggestion that this is “war”, I am always concerned about individuals who chose violent images in disputes such as these. The vendor is most likely aware he is in the wrong but is hoping a threat will be useful to his cause. It should not be and tends to support residents claims of aggressive and believers t behavior.
It’s great having booksellers in the neighborhood!! Just as long as they assign polite people to man the tables. The NYPD should let them be and take care of some important quality-of-life problems around the city instead.
This is a quality of life issue! Can’t understand why intelligent people support a vagrant blocking the street, yelling obscenities, storing his crap overnight, etc. This is worse than the lone panhandler on the street. Obviously this does not solve the problem of the mentally ill/substance abusers, but it’s a hell of a good start.
Well that just sounds down right rational!
This IS an important quality-of-life problem in our own neighborhood.
Cato, please let me know how this directly impacts your quality of life. I’d love to hear what you define that as & where your general sense of self-awareness is currently at.
It has an impact on my quality of life because I live in the neighborhood and would like to (but often won’t) walk down the street too. Please read the comments of many, many others here on that score. All I need to say is “me, too”.
As far as where my general sense of self-awareness “is currently at”, all I can say in response is “Huh??”.
@Diego, an interesting observation that it is books AND art that are being marginalized.
Not healthy for our neighborhood (society).
So i take it you also want to remove the lady who sells paintings outside Fairway? That’s just as busy if not busier with the trucks that pull up there frequently.
Did somebody say Fahrenheit 451? Please discuss. 🙂
“Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me it means texture. This book has pores.”
Faber
It was so pleasant to have our street back for a few days. Please whichever Ms.Rosenthal is in charge here, keep these illegal vendors off the street. Why does the uws have to look like
Calcutta? Why is this seller NOT on Lexington or Madison or any other avenue?? Well of course..they won’t allow it but somehow they are HERE. No no not again.
Amen to the power. Good riddance to these filthy and crazy vendors who attack pedestrians (myself included). I’ve had to call 911 one evening as I was trying to get into Chase Bank and they were hurling bottles on the street. It’s not safe, nor clean, nor healthy, nor sanitary. I love seeing the sidewalk too!
“Amen to the power.” – Gretchen Berger
THE Power?
Power to the people, right on!
Before e-books, I have bought almost all my books from those guys, and kudos to him for employing a mentally ill person, nobody else will.
Sorry to see the immense influx of millionaires to the neighborhood change it so drastically that not even booksellers are welcome anymore. Should he rather not work and beg instead? Guess whatever as long as he doesn’t do it in the new millionaire haven.
This is not a new issue that can be blamed on our changing neighborhood. A previous WSR article about the book vendors had a comment from someone who served on the 20pct. Community Council for 25 years. He said the number 1 neighborhood complaint during all those years was about the vendors.
Not in front of the JUICE PRESSES!!!! Oh no!
The vendors are unlawfully using the sidewalk as their private storage space.
Davidson says that he’s not doing anything wrong and that other vendors also leave their goods out overnight.
One body per table — its an old law that they’re choosing to enforce.
We don’t plan on leaving. Since they’re pushing statutes, we can’t leave.
He says the guys who have been working for him recently drink and that’s been the source of the pressure he’s getting now.
In all of this long diatribe about “war” and “rights” and “one body to a table” (whatever that means), there is no discussion — let alone any consideration — about what is best for (or even just “good for”) the community. How do we benefit from having all of this garbage blockading the sidewalk for most of a block? We don’t. It’s a nuisance, in the strictest meaning of that word.
I understand that some people buy stuff from the “merchants” and that others contribute to their wares. But I’m also sure that the people who feed pigeons on the streets think that they are doing a good thing too. The pigeons certainly appreciate it — but is that a reason for us to laud their carting in bags of birdseed and bread crusts to support the birds covering our buildings and defecating on our heads?
Shouldn’t the value to the community at least factor into the assessment of these activities?
If the police have really been “on his corner every day, all day, day and night, since July 5th” then you have to question whether that’s really the NYPD’s most efficient use of resources. I really hope that when Councilmember Helen Rosenthal says she supported the action, she means the initial book seizure and not the alleged 24 hour surveillance.
Don’t worry, our Council Member only takes credit for those thing that turn out to be popular.
It’s really time that they go — and stay gone. They, and their wares, are disgusting. I’ve lived two blocks away for 15 years and they sell books, records, tapes, and other things that predominantly look like they were found in the trash. To compare selling that — for profit — to distributing free copies of newspapers in a small plastic kiosk on a corner is ridiculous. These “sellers” take up far too much space on a very busy stretch of the UWS and sit outside, litter, store their things, sleep, loudly play their radios, scream/yell/curse, eat, drink and do all sorts of other things that a “seller” should not be doing on a public street 24/7/365. If they’re a true merchant, let them comply with all applicable regs (whether they like them or not) or, perhaps, open a store to sell their garbage and have to pay rent, taxes, etc. If they’re so popular, they’ll do just fine. Otherwise, they — and their things — are taking up far too much space on public street and we don’t need to put up with that.
While we’re on the subject of “cleaning up” the sidewalks along UWS Broadway, whatever became of DeBlasio’s CleanNYC effort to power wash the sidewalks? Did he renege? Use the funds elsewhere?
Why haven’t we received money from him for trimming our hedge funds?!? Oh wait…
“trimmingour hegdge funds” – I Hate Cookies
Howl! (both ways)
WHY GO AFTER A GUY SELLING HIS BOOKS OUT ON THE STREET I HELP PATRONIZE THEM ALL BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING A HONEST DAYS JOB IN ALL KINDS OF CRAZY WEATHER.
The tall scraggly-bearded one, called my fiancé a “f-ing, white boy,” in between gulps of his King Cobra malt liquor, mind you. He usually starts drinking at 11am and is wasted by 3pm. He’s also been known to use the phone booth as his own private bathroom. But what about the books??? It’s all about the books, these guys enrich our neighborhood…
I thought all the phone booths were gone
Not all gone.
Lend me a quarter. I have to call my service.
well… is he a white boy?
Why not provide well designed kiosks for these guys to display and sell their books. They have them along 5th avenue near 59th street, in Paris they are everywhere. They have every right to be where they are, selling books, why not deal with this as the aesthetic issue it actually is.
Kirk is right: good books and reading them can change your life! Book selling on the street is an old tradition in NYC and in most major cities of the world. Open aire markets of all kinds are part of NYC history–and need to be preserved. After all, books are NOT rotting vegetables that attract rodents ….Surely cops have much better things to do at public expense than to harass a sidewalk seller who is not littering, nor blocking passage of people or vehicles by double parking–as so many do along Broadway–and. for many, providing a form of public service by recycling books at an affordable price –rather these fountains of knowledge burned in public–as the Nazi’s were wont to do. Get it together NYC!!
KSF PhD
He points to the plastic kiosks holding free copies of Epoch Weekend, amNY and other newspapers. “They’re allowed to store it – and I’m not. Different rules for different people and the little guy is still getting stepped on.”
Could be wrong but I have a feeling that Epoch, amNY and similar kiosks are paying the city a fee to do this. If what he is doing is legal, let him get a license like lots of other vendors that park on the sidewalk have. And take his junk away at night, like they do
No fees are paid to the city for these newspaper kiosks. It’s one of those free speech issues.
FYI: he’s on 73-74 now and he is up all night guarding his books.
Where’s he now?
Outside Chase grooving on some tunes and sitting in his desk chair.
I always browse street book vendors. I’ve never questioned their legitimacy;I guess I always assumed that they were licensed. Your piece has illuminated the who/what/where. I never knew that their stock came from donations. I’ve always wanted to hand them my “extra” books, but never screwed up the courage. I understand Helen Rosenthal’s position – I’m confident that they will work out something.In the meantime, I will continue to browse and buy – and now bring my extra books to my local bookstand.
When I read how uncharitable people can be, I rather hope the bookseller never goes. I think the city could give these folks lock boxes and someone should try to get help for the fellow who’s curing. Other than that, don’t be such prigs.
“Look at me! I’m so liberal, up to the point it puts me it may force me to interact with someone not like me!” -Most UWSers against this man’s livelihood
You clearly don’t understand the issue.
Nice strawman…
Mark he’s right and the rest of you are just whining. Don’t live in the city if you don’t want to experience how the city is. Anyone who complains about “quality of life” issues is really saying more about themselves. Get over it and mind your business. The street is the street, I don’t care how much rent you pay.
I think it is great to have books being sold on the street. However, he should have to remove his books every night because all the other vendors you see on the sidewalks have to. He should have a setup like the Central Park book stalls on the UES and cart it out every night.
It will be interesting to see them keep one person per table on a regular basis. Noting that one of them usually does get a little obnoxious with passers-by, the spotlight is on them to see how well they can be proper vendors.
I REALLY hope that NYPD doesn’t have officers stationed there 24/7. It does not appear to be a good use of resources. Surely those who want this vendor gone can call the Precint and have an officer sent over. But let’s talk about those annoying newspaper dispensers clogging crosswalks.
As long as this man FOLLOWS THE LAW he is entitled to do what he pleases. If he doesn’t follow the law, I hope that the police confiscate his books over and over again. I personally think that this guy shouldn’t even be able to sell books on the street without a license since this kind of selling is OBVIOUSLY not what was intended related to the first amendment. NOT EVEN CLOSE. Let’s stop pretending.
I generally would prefer that he go away altogether but I am OK with him being out there during daylight hours as long as he takes his books and tables away at night. I believe this is what the guy in front of Zabar’s does and it works fine. He and his employees should be subject to penalty if they harass pedestrians, which seems to occur frequently.
The cynic in me is guessing that all of the old school UWS purists who are defending his rights are likely the same ones who a few weeks ago in another thread were horrified that FreshDirect was clogging up some space while distributing groceries.
“The cynic in me is guessing that all of the old school UWS purists who are defending his rights are likely the same ones who a few weeks ago in another thread were horrified that FreshDirect was clogging up some space while distributing groceries.”
A big thumbs up to this! Also, here’s a link to the original thread posted when the book vendors were removed on July 5th, because it seems that not everyone is aware of what’s happening here. It’s one thing to stroll through a neighborhood and peruse books, and something completely different when you have to deal with the abuse on a daily basis. That includes the vendor’s ’employees,’ who are cursing, spitting, drinking, throwing their junk, and urinating in public.
https://www.westsiderag.com/2016/07/07/after-police-action-book-vendors-are-suddenly-gone-from-broadway
I pass, ignore or don’t even see them at all, on my way up to Fairway, a place where I expect to feel stressed! Once or twice a year I browse–which is the real thing–as opposed to ebooks–and it can involve others as well. It’s good for young people to see books and people who love them. I never encounter anything awful regarding the tables except from some of these commenters, who are maybe also the same pushy folks at Fairway.
Fairway is the worst.
“We are like no other market and we mean it.” – Fairway slogan
I’m just going to pick up a few things. My girl is off today. -overheard outside Fairway.
Whole Paycheck has nannies pushing strollers and shopping carts while reading grocery shopping lists. Some have the dry cleaning.
What is their employer thinking?
Next time Mr. Davidson goes to “war” with law enforcement, maybe the issue of taxes will come up. That should do it.
We just came from 72nd & Bway. The “off his meds” bookseller is back. 2 cops are sitting in a car 1/2 block away. We asked why he was back and the cop said “it’s his 1st Amendment rights”.
REALLY?? I know the 1st Amendment…what I don’t know is—WHO IS BEHIND ALL THIS WHO IS PULLING THE STRINGS TO GET HIM AND HIS BOOKS BACK ON THE STREET???
Someone is playing games. So we have to listen to his drunken rants and abuse as we walk home. If you really want to help this guy ….get him into a program and off the street. And show yourself because we all know said “bookseller” has never read the 1st Amendment.So who are you..and why are you doing this?
We have to start to consider what is best for the community at large. I know there is a subset of the UWS that likes to support the booksellers, the homeless and the panhandlers, defend them against perceived persecution, but the fact is that far more of us want a safe, clean environment. I come home from work late at night and the panhandlers harass me. It is not safe. You are not doing the homeless a service by championing their “right” to live on the streets. Would you allow your family member to live on the street in a pile of filthy belongings? They shouldn’t be arrested of course, but they should be cared for, provided with the psychiatric and medial care they need in a safe, clean environment. Let the developers of these crazy luxury buildings help foot the bill. There is a proper solution that doesn’t have to involve our streets being dirty and unsafe. If nothing else, getting rid of the panhandlers will enable the truly homeless (not the scammers with signs and dogs) to get the attention they need. We need to have rules. These people who curse and yell, fleece the tourists and create a dirty and unsafe environment are abusing the system.
Women have commented in this and the earlier thread about being harassed and feeling unsafe. For me, that’s enough. I’m saddened to see such indifference to these accounts by neighbors defending and sympathizing sith a drunk, mentally unstable man. A man in more important than a woman, it seems.
If you actually read up on what DHS is up to lately, you may question if that safe, clean environment actually exists. The right to shelter law suggests that many of the homeless on the street either can’t get to a shelter or simply don’t want to go because it can be a nightmare and 10x more stressful.
I actually do what to ask if theres been any legitimate acts of violence committed by these people? Not verbal threats or a tossed bottle, but an actual assault?
Does there have to be an actual assault for this to change? I think when a person is rushed by a 6 foot man jumping off a crate and screaming and cursing they have a natural instinct to get away as fast as possible. This guy threw a glass Snapple bottle at someone enough to break on the side of the building, but I don’t know if that’s considered assault if it missed the person it was aimed at.
I wonder how long it would take for a permanent change if any of us were to show up right now with a folding table and a box of books and started urinating on the street and exhibiting this same violent behavior.
Btw, the vendors never really left the neighborhood. Last week they were set up by the theater across on 68th street and audibly ranting about being moved from ‘their block.’ The books and tables were coming out of a white van so there is obviously a transport system and a place to store the books.
for all books lovers that are arguing for these “vendors”, uou know where you can get an even better read, and its FREE ???? the library !
go get your literature there, why do books have to take up street space ?
WPIX just posted this video: https://pix11.com/2016/07/15/sidewalk-vendors-books-are-seized-necessity-or-rights-violation/
The Book sellers do a great service to the nejgherberhood. Not only do people enjoy and benefit from these books but it btings charm and color to the neighberhood.
Have them over for dinner.
There is no charm. I tried to buy a book there once. I picked up the book, flipped through it, and the vendor screamed at me to not touch the book. They are not interested in selling. Therefore they are not vending. Just parking illegally on the sidewalk.
What a joke. This guy is an ass who constantly breaks the law. Then he hires mentally ill drunks who harasses everyone. And for what? Some dirty second hand books. Geez how can we upper west siders live without his presence. Get rid of this flea bag and his drinking buddies. I’m laughing at him sleeping on the street protecting his crap. In this day and age the world moves forward and some businesses fail, disappear or go out of business. His “business” and his ” business model” are done. see yah later. Some true businesses have closed down after 40 years recently and they get a blurb. But this guy can’t survive legally anymore and everyone is up in arms. If you want to save him so bad, go sleep on the street with him. Apparently he needs the help.
LOL … I’m always amazed at the cynicism and lack of compassion and the “whining”. Oy!
Please do not support these “sellers.” They are rude and lawless. If you want to support your community and get a good deal on a fantastic selection of used books, you can have a great time at the St Agnes NYPL branch book sale. You can donate books there too. If you are a book lover you will be in heaven at the St Agnes sale. I have no affiliation to the sale, I just love UWS and books.
I have no affiliation to the Book Sale at Symphony Space.
Go Kirk! I am Team Kirk all the way! I’m sure Kirk and his books have been there a lot longer than most of the nitwits complaining about him. I’ll be down to buy a book this week and show my support.
Appreciate what you said Derek. Read my post of today’s date, July 18th. I am on his team too.
We got a lot of well know actresses of a certain age around here.
lynn,
Grab this one!
The fact that some of them do read is astonishing.
lynn,
There’s a book in this.
But where can we sell it now?
LOL @ dannyboy! Would it be tooooo ironic if we sold it on that block? 😉
I went there once to buy a book. They couldn’t give me a bag. I never went back.- overheard on Broadway.
Invitation to Entepreneurs:
Theres’s money to be made in selling bags.
I am ever so glad that Kirk Davidson, our sidewalk bookseller of many years is back. He adds to the west side what we now miss–books (no more bookstores) and street presence and liveliness….it is colorful and I do not mean that as in race. Good ambience. A way to say hello to your local sidewalk book seller.
What is unfortunate is that the objection to his presence is really an objection to both race and class –period. Since the upper west side–and I live right near where Kirk works–has become so fabulously rich, gentrified and sanitized, the newcomers with millions don’t want to see how many of the others in this country live. Very differently, scraping by, doing what they have to do to pay the rent and live. I disagree with our local elected official’s position on this issue and I am saddened by it. How the west side has changed. NIMBY.
So I say Bravo to the return of our bookseller. And I wish him peace and good fortune.
Lily: you are so narrow minded it’s absurd. We want clean streets. We want a civilized neighborhood. We do not want Canal street. An illegal book vendor who pays no rent should not be here whether we are millionaires or paupers. What does anyone’s income have to do with wanting to live in a clean quiet environment? We all want that. Rich or poor. Kirk should take a stall at the flea market and pay his way like everyone else.