"Six bucks, last I went to a theater. Up from fifty cents to get the ticket and refreshments." And hang, what could a person buy for fifty cents, these days? Nothing good, that's for sure. "The future can go stuff itself, for all I care."

He paused. That was maybe a bit too heartfelt. "But I never lived in New York before this. It's nice to be able to stick to someplace, for a while."