New York's New Homeless Population: Invasion Of The Backpeckers

This summer, mid-town Manhattan streets are filled with wandering bands of a new influx of homeless: the Backpeckers.  Easily identified by their confused state and strange dress, they carry all their possessions on their backs, often in huge bundles adorned with tribal markings and symbols. Backpeckers believe these symbols protect them when traveling in hostile environments, but quickly discover that this protection does not work when encountering natives in close quarters.  Like when smashing the pack into someone in a crowded subway car. Timid by nature, Backpeckers usually travel in groups (called “klutzes”) and rarely venture far from familiar territory or travel after dark.  Many are afraid to cross streets. During the day, these klutzes can often be found stopped in the middle of streets staring upward.  Similar behavior has been observed in domesticated turkeys.  However, unlike turkeys, backpeckers are protected. So even though it is tourist season, we can not shoot them.