"The Heart of New York"

"The Heart of New York"

I had been the host of a local radio talk show for nearly six years. I had
chatted with, consoled and chastised some of the most wonderful strangers
through the years, but none touched my heart more than Petros Xarhoulakos. And
I never spoke a word to him.

I read about Petros in a local daily paper and decided that this man deserved
recognition. You see Petros was a hot dog vendor. Now what great things would
a hot dog vendor do to deserve recognition? He embodied everything I believe
in. Petros trusted perfect strangers in a big city environment that had been
known for uncaring acts of rudeness.
Petros' hot dog cart was located on the corner of 96th Street and Central Park
West for more than twenty years. He worked his corner seven days a week and
became as much a part of downtown as the Empire State Building and Macy's. As
the story goes, Petros was known for his kindness and generosity. Beside the
regular condiments offered with any quality dog, Petros always had two
containers within reach. One, a supply of lollipops for any child passing by
labeled "Not just for Customers". Two, a small container of bus tokens.

This was a hot spot for business travelers. Bus transportation required exact
change or a token. Often times in the rush of a hurried business day, travelers
would find themselves lacking both. Petros would gladly offer one to them
saying "Please, take this. Pay next time you are here." But his warmth and
generosity didn't stop there. It has been noted that on a hot day many a jogger
has paused at his corner, dehydrated and out of breath. Petros quickly reaches
into his cooler and offers them a bottle of water with the same "Pay me next
time!" offer, often turning down immediate payment.

"I trust people. Maybe they might need money somewhere else" he would say in
his heavy Greek accent. "They always return."

This was my proof that the spirit of mankind is really a giving one. In spite
of all of the horror stories we read everyday, I believe that there are more
Petros stories that go unreported because they don't sell newspapers or fill
air time as well.

But I wanted to do something about that.

One of my features on my weekly talk show was called "The Rose Report." A one
time local resident Rose Scalia, with very strong hometown roots started
calling my show live from her new home in New York City just to share her small
town attitude with the big city perspective. The locals loved her.

One day after one of her great stories I challenged her to "Go find Petros for
me!" I wanted to send her as an ambassador of goodwill to tell him how much the
people in Northeast, Pa admired him. As a gift I sent along one of my navy blue
sweat shirts with my motto "I believe in You!" emblazoned on the front in
bright red print surrounded by a shower of sparkling white stars.

On a cold week day in February, Rose arrived at his corner, gift in hand along
with a tape recorder to interview Petros. It was then that we discovered that
he knew very little English. We played the tape the next week with Zorba the
Greek music playing in the background.

"Veddy good. People nice. I trust them. Thank you! I trust good people" is all
he had to say.

As I write this I am looking at eight pictures taken that day by Rose. There
standing in front of his hot dog cart covered by the familiar blue and yellow
umbrella, a trademark of the Sabrett Hot Dog Company, is this mustached man in
his late 50's. He is holding my sweatshirt and smiling. There is something
about his eyes that tell you he is a gentle man. And there is something about
knowing this story that gives me hope.

Oh, he may not have saved someone from a burning home. He may not have walked
across America to raise awareness of a killing disease. Perhaps the bigger part
of this story is that we find it unusual and outstanding.

The fact is, Petros Xarhoulakos is doing exactly what we all should be doing,
loving, helping and trusting fellow human beings. He does it naturally. We call
it extraordinary.

"I believe in YOU!"

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