'If I called in sick then Sandy defeated me': MTA token booth clerk

[Harry 1,076]

 

Sandy can't keep a good subway man down. One MTA token booth clerk from the Rockaways has essentially been homeless since the superstorm flooded the peninsula — but he hasn’t missed a day of work. Jack Epter thought about taking a day off — once — but changed his mind at the last minute. “If I called in sick, I would have felt like Sandy defeated me,” Epter, 64, said.

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[Via Garibaldi 8 8,579]

Well Kudos to him, but he should really find a place to live... Surely someone will be willing to rent him a place until he gets things sorted out with his house.

[Far Rock Depot 1,289]

thats my station agent from back home!!!! hes been t Beach 44th st since i moved there in 1990!!!!!

[QM1to6Ave 1,688]

Very impressive. I'm sure there were lots of employees with families in similar situations that had to miss work to help their kids/spouses, so it's nice to read about an employee that had the ability and fortitude to keep working. 

[Xentor 65]

Still homeless while working full time for years!!? Another case of a laborer that thinks his own personal job is more important than his own life. Work to live don't live to work.

[NYCRailfan523 90]

Good! 

[R211 10001 3]

Wow, that's a determined guy. Too bad he lost his house.

[Far Rock Depot 1,289]

Still homeless while working full time for years!!? Another case of a laborer that thinks his own personal job is more important than his own life. Work to live don't live to work.

You dont know that dude! Hes single with no kids. And hes one of the most friendliest people in an MTA uniform! and in 20 years, ive only seen him take one week's vacation! Some people are just known as "Mr. No-Days-Off". I can relate to that. And as cool as he is, one would never assume hes been with the company 30yrs when some employees who still havent past their first year act so grumpy all the time!

[Xentor 65]

You dont know that dude! Hes single with no kids. And hes one of the most friendliest people in an MTA uniform! and in 20 years, ive only seen him take one week's vacation! Some people are just known as "Mr. No-Days-Off". I can relate to that. And as cool as he is, one would never assume hes been with the company 30yrs when some employees who still havent past their first year act so grumpy all the time!

 

Well he's got a few cool hobbies at least, so I cant knock him for that. Plus you say he's friendly and that pretty much trumps everything in TA land.

[Far Rock Depot 1,289]

And the mentality after the storm has mostly been if you give up, the storm has beaten you. Its the determination to try to return to normal that strives most people down there. Especially if they lost everything. 

 

Silver lining. 

[Urbanfortitude 123]

Hmm I've seen that guy before myself.  I wish I could remember which station though

[Far Rock Depot 1,289]

He works at B44th! My old stop. He also take overtime duing GO's in and around Rockaway-B90th, B98th...

[N6 Limited 1,053]

Still homeless while working full time for years!!? Another case of a laborer that thinks his own personal job is more important than his own life. Work to live don't live to work.

You need a job to pay for a place to live. What good is a place to live if you're going to be evicted because you have no job and can't pay for it?

[realizm 4,456]

The troubling thing about this is that (as a random poster has said in the Daily News article) there must be an inside story to this. He could'nt have a family member or friend take him in until he can get back on his feet? It's understood he's single with no children but no-one at all to turn to? A co-worker or something? And I'm sort of suprised that the MTA did'nt exactly have some sort of program of some sort to help him find housing out of their own budget to protect it's employees from life crisises such as this? I know for sure some other companies do offer such provisions to help those employess in financial trouble or in trouble of being homeless. That being said it's amazing that he was able to persevere like that. Shows that many of us have that human nature of the desire to survive and endure under distressing circumstances.

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,579]

You need a job to pay for a place to live. What good is a place to live if you're going to be evicted because you have no job and can't pay for it?

Surely he has a few days that he can use to find an apartment.  It's great that he's dedicated, but he's putting himself through hell unnecessarily.  I believe in dedication too but you have to remember that everyone is replaceable, so you have to put yourself and your well being first before anyone else.  I'm curious as to what this guy does for showering, cleaning clothes and eating with no place to live... 

[QM1to6Ave 1,688]

The troubling thing about this is that (as a random poster has said in the Daily News article) there must be an inside story to this. He could'nt have a family member or friend take him in until he can get back on his feet? It's understood he's single with no children but no-one at all to turn to? A co-worker or something? And I'm sort of suprised that the MTA did'nt exactly have some sort of program of some sort to help him find housing out of their own budget to protect it's employees from life crisises such as this? I know for sure some other companies do offer such provisions to help those employess in financial trouble or in trouble of being homeless. That being said it's amazing that he was able to persevere like that. Shows that many of us have that human nature of the desire to survive and endure under distressing circumstances.

It's possible that all of this guy's friends live near him and are in the exact same situation. And since he's a (relatively) older guy he may not have any living relatives in the local area.

[realizm 4,456]

It's possible that all of this guy's friends live near him and are in the exact same situation. And since he's a (relatively) older guy he may not have any living relatives in the local area.

 

Man. This guy's situation just positively sucks all around.

 

thats my station agent from back home!!!! hes been t Beach 44th st since i moved there in 1990!!!!!

 

 It's a small world out there isn't it brother?

[Xentor 65]

You need a job to pay for a place to live. What good is a place to live if you're going to be evicted because you have no job and can't pay for it?

 

Yeah, I fully understand what you mean, you have to maintain your job to live properly anyway. However, like Via Garibaldi said, surely he could have taken a few days off to find a room or something. You realize how difficult it is to be homeless even for a day when you had a home such as his, it's difficult even for a veteran bum. You can't EVER get proper rest and it's stressful as heck,  It's not only difficult it's dangerous and definitely not good for your mental and physical health. I'm sure Transit can make an exception and give this man some time off to find a place. After all he's an exemplary  employee. On second thought, maybe he's already done all he could and no cigar.

Edited January 25, 2013 by Xentor

[Urbanfortitude 123]

Yeah, I fully understand what you mean, you have to maintain your job to live properly anyway. However, like Via Garibaldi said, surely he could have taken a few days off to find a room or something. You realize how difficult it is to be homeless even for a day when you had a home such as his, it's difficult even for a veteran bum. You can't EVER get proper rest and it's stressful as heck,  It's not only difficult it's dangerous and definitely not good for your mental and physical health. I'm sure Transit can make an exception and give this man some time off to find a place. After all he's an exemplary  employee. On second thought, maybe he's already done all he could and no cigar.

 

You know how difficult it is to find a decent room let alone an apartment in this city? You could start 6 months in an advance and still be looking when the time comes.  Fake ads, outrageous broker fees, brokers who don't return calls.  I could go into how tough it is to find a sane roommate in this city as well.  Not to mention all the ads i've seen that specifically say "female roommate only".