13 June 2011

Guy's on the Clock in Howard Beach


A reader forwarded me this image. It's one of the damnedest pieces of signage I've ever encountered.

A leather-jacketed tough, 1950s-style, biding his time leaning against a brick wall, standing on top of a...big yellow clock.

WTF? The clock—which has no hands and hasn't worked in years—obviously has nothing to do with the current tenants of the building, an Assemblywoman and some lawyers. The greaser is chained to the wall and a bit weatherbeaten. Any Howard Beachers out there who know the story?

3 comments:

Queens Crapper said...

The statue used to have a cigarette in its mouth, too. He's supposed to resemble James Dean. Why he's there, I don't know. See Rebel Without a Clue

Anonymous said...

Note that the yellow of the clock faces matches the yellow awning. That's a bit peculiar, as the awning appears reasonably new and well kept up, in sharp contrast to the clock and the statue.

I would imagine that the prior occupant of the space now housing the Assembly member's office installed the clock and statue.

[BTW: calling this area "Howard Beach" is really stretching definitions.]
Peter

bakelly said...

It's Jack Kerouac, author of "On the Road" which he may have written while living at 133-01 Crossbay Blvd. Associate of Neal Cassidy, Allen Ginsberg, etc - the Beats of the 50's and 60s. Look it up.
BAK