The Statue of Liberty Hat - The New York Times

Paying an unexpected price for a novelty crown.

It is early April, in the evening. I’m walking through Times Square on my way to a birthday dinner at a restaurant I’ve never been to. As I weave through the souvenir stands, I’m trying to concentrate on the instructions on my phone screen.

I keep walking — in what I hope is the right direction — when I see a cluster of hats shaped like Lady Liberty’s headpiece. The foam green spikes point to the sky, sticking out above the yellow cab magnets and “I Heart NY” T-shirts.

I’ve been wanting a Statue of Liberty hat for a while. One of the silly ones, in the shape of a crown, with a band that wraps around the chin. They’re probably meant for children, but they have always made me laugh. And now that I’m on the verge of graduating from New York University and leaving for California, the hat would be a tiny piece of New York to take with me.

I approach the stand. A woman and her young daughter are looking through a stack of hot pink sweatshirts with “NYC” bedazzled in rhinestones across the front. They have Midwestern accents, I notice. The vendor, a middle-aged man, has a bright smile as he helps them find the right size. I wait until he has a free moment before I step toward him.

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2023-12-30 10:00:55Z
CBMiR2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMjMvMTIvMzAvc3R5bGUvdGhlLXN0YXR1ZS1vZi1saWJlcnR5LWhhdC5odG1s0gEA

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