Gerard Way

A very strange, specific interpretation of the song “King of Echo Park” by TV Girl.

The “king” sat upon his throne—the wooden park bench—as always, legs crossed, cigarette held gently between his pointer and middle fingers, occasionally bringing it to his lips to take a drag, exhaling the smoke into the cold air. Ever since winter began, he’s sat there every night, staring out into the distance, completely silent, completely still. It was unclear who he was or why he did this, but Frank had decided to refer to him as the “King of Echo Park,” because the bench he sat upon had the words inscribed onto it.

The king appeared at exactly midnight—seemingly out of thin air—and would leave at exactly 2:34AM, getting up from his throne, taking a few steps into the snow, before vanishing, only leaving a cloud of smoke that curled into the air, before it, too, was whisked away. Every night, Frank would gaze out his window at the king, watching him, making stories about him in his head, wondering who he was, why he was there, and if he was even alive.