Pipe Dream

I was getting off the Subway at 34th Street (heading to Penn Station) and I noticed a homeless man fully clad in a newspaper helmet and jumpsuit. This guy was decked head to toe in the NY Times dating back to 1972. I witnessed this man reach up towards the pipes on the roof of the Subway, I shrugged this off assuming he was looking for warmth. He went on to rub the soot from the dirty pipes all over his face...I stood in awe and felt such a mix of confusion and pity that I gave the poor man 5 dollars. But to this day I share this story because it really left an impression on me.