What makes New York New York

Jimmy Breslin: Inspirational Curmudgeon

NYTimes: It was 1978, I was 25 and living in Buffalo. Through a friend who ran the student lecture series at the SUNY campus, I had the chance to have a beer and wings with Jimmy Breslin. I asked him if he thought a girl from Indiana could make it in New York City. I will never forget his response: “Kids migrating from the Midwest are what makes New York great. That’s the way it’s always been.” -- Kay Johnson