Wishes

by Jon Cotner and Claire Hamilton

Tenzin

“No wish — I just wake up, eat, work, run, sleep.”

Questions tend to be tied to circumstances. Someone asks “Would you please pass the guacamole?” if guacamole sits nearby. Now is the time of year when reverie (the soul’s guacamole) is palpable and fresh, so we hit the streets of New York with a single question: “What’s your holiday wish?”

Mallory & Brooke

Mallory: “To get a job.”

Catrina (far right) & her family

“I want to stay a kid.”

Sam

“I like ‘To stay a kid.’ But with common sense.”

Keith, Richard & Brandon

Richard: “World peace.”

Coco

“Another bone.” (conveyed by her owner)

Elisa

“I haven’t even thought about the holidays yet.”

Eddie

“I need money; I’m broke.”

Alex

“Vacation.”

Josie

“A grandchild.”

Peter & Paula

Peter: “To have the best honeymoon.”

Trish

“I’m hoping for quality time with my family — which business doesn’t always allow.”

Joe

“I want everyone with me on December 25th, kids and grandkids.”

Oksana & Sasha

Sasha: “To win a lawsuit against the NYC Parks Commission. They keep harassing us.”

Carrie & Verdie

Carrie: “Romance.”

Heath & Conor

Conor: “I want to have a baby.”

Kevin & Darilin

Darilin: “I hope Santa brings me a teddy bear and a laptop.”

Mike

“I wish everybody could eat great dinners on Christmas night.”

Mahmoud

“To go back to Egypt.”

Ala, Alexis & Adrian

Adrian: “To get U.S. papers.”

Peggy & Arbi

Arbi: “We don’t believe in holiday wishes.”

Kim & Ann

Ann: “This hat/scarf — harf?”

Phil & Summer

Summer: “I want a boyfriend.”

Phil: “I want a girlfriend, of course.”

Boris

“I wish for you two to stay together forever.”

Jon Cotner and Claire Hamilton have made other slideshows based on walks through Fire Island and Art Basel Miami. Jon is the author, with Andy Fitch, of Ten Walks/Two Talks, which was chosen as a Best Book of 2010 by The Week, The Millions, Time Out Chicago, and Bookslut.