I was in my Bronx apartment on the morning of September 11, 2001. I watched on TV like the rest of the country. Eventually, I don’t recall if it was later that day or the following day, or the day after that, I got on the subway and went as far south as I could go–14th Street. I felt the need to get closer. I couldn’t go further downtown so I turned around and walked up 8th Avenue. As I passed the bus terminal at 40th Street I saw Joe Franklin talking on a pay phone. He was alone, a pregnant briefcase resting between his feet. I had been in a daze and the sight of Franklin snapped me out of it for a moment. It was comforting to see him.
“Hey, Joe Franklin” I said to nobody in particular and kept walking. 
Franklin, a New York fixture for many of us, died the other day. He was 88.
[Photo Credit: Andrew Savulich; Illustration by Drew Friedman]
Oh, wow, did not know. His show was always a bit too late for me, would only catch the first few minutes. One of a kind.
On that day, I first heard through a listserv email, about a plane crashing into the WTC. My first thought was what kind of idiot couldn't miss hitting the building. Then I heard about the second plane.
Crazy.
Sad. I remember watching him on WOR in the early 60's. He had a face made for radio, and was incredibly quirky and weird. IOn the other hand, he was so passionate! New York to the core.
I can't believe that he wasn't much older when I first used to watch him. I remember his show would be the only thing on at 1am. HGe would introduce himself: "Joe Franklin my friends." He seemed like such a nice guy, but he was old before his time. Did Yogi say that?