At a Pay-Phone on Valentine’s Day across from the Queens Criminal Courthouse

Fred Frangelli, 44, stepped into
the phone booth, turning his back to
the cold; it had been a long time
since the door had been removed
to keep out vagrants or drug dealers.
If you listened carefully, you would have
heard him whisper to his wife that
he would be home soon, that this
next year he would be a better
husband and father, that he
loved her, before he walked out,
his hands pushed deep into his pockets,
his breath hanging in the air.
he walked away from the booth,
from the criminal court, only
turning once to look back at his
history, before looking ahead to
what he promised would be a
brighter future.

Article with pictures on http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/nyregion/13payphone.html