Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Lovesick Joe Is Still Searching For Sofia In Subway System
By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 7, 2012
Modified Sep 7, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 7, 2012
Modified Sep 7, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
It's Joe!
Joe's new letter is longer, read it below.
Late last month we caught up on the saga of one man's struggle to find his true love. Or a love. Or just some lady that may sleep with him. The man, known to us only as Joe, has been hanging up signs all over the subway system (old school Missed Connection style), and has become somewhat of a beacon of light for hopeless romantics. His posters read, in part:
"Sofia. This is Joe. The good looking Italian you met on the D train at Coney Island July 4th: U and I had strong chemistry in the few minutes we talked... U were about 30, Spanish, long real brown hair, 125-130 lbs, real pretty. I hope we will meet again soon Sofia!!!"
He left his number (which was out of service), but weeks later it seems he still hasn't met his Sofia. This morning a reader sent in the above photo, telling us, "I actually met him! This morning I was on D platform at Atlantic/Pacific and I noticed a guy putting up the same flier... immediately I asked him, 'Are you Joe?' He was a little hesitant/shy about it at first, but he told me yes he was."
This whole thing started on July 4th when Sofia and her friend were sitting across from Joe on the subway, but beyond that and what's on the flier, that's all we've known... until now. When our tipster was prodded for more info, she told us:
"He noticed her friend had a wedding ring on, but she didn't. He said that she was wearing sunglasses, but that he could tell by her body language and the way she was smiling at him when he smiled at her that she was interested. He said when she was about to get off the train, she took off her sunglasses and looked directly at him with a 'Aren't you going to come after me?' kind of look. I think at this point he got off the train and talked to her for a few minutes. He asked her, 'I noticed your friend is married... are you married as well?' She said no, and he asked if he could take her out to dinner. She said yes, and gave him his number which he says he entered into his phone... but never called or texted, and later that day, he says he lost phone."
So then the fliers came into play, which Joe puts up on his way to or from work in Manhattan each day. Sounds like a pretty full day, but Joe has managed to find some screen time—our tipster tells us he read our previous article on his search, saying, "it was a nice write-up, aside from [being likened] to a serial killer!"
Tagged
joe
love
poster
sofia
subway
original
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .