I S S U E 4

(PHOTO: C. Rae Jung)

The adrenaline junkie makes a habit of descending from the city’s rooftops with the same rope and tether rappelling equipment he uses to clean windows. the city is his playground, and no high-standing structure is off limits. "I climb trees just so I can rappel down from them," he says.

Anyone who enters Klotzer’s apartment quickly realizes this man loves his job. Eight by ten glossies of himself cleaning windows adorn his walls. A squeegee collection is displayed prominently in his bedroom. "This is the first squeegee I ever used. You can see how worn down it is," he says fondly, removing the tool from its wall peg.

Klotzer, who began washing windows at 18, landed in New York City three years ago, where the skyscrapers offered an abundance of opportunity for the young thrill-seeker. "If you want to wash windows, New York is the place to be," he says.

Klotzer with his squeegee collection. (PHOTO: C. Rae Jung)

Because of his small stature, Klotzer was the ideal candidate for rappelling jobs, where the window cleaner lowers himself to the height of the desired window from ropes secured to a rooftop.

Klotzer purchased his own rappelling equipment several years ago, and has been conquering heights around Manhattan ever since. His favorite places to rappel are Morningside Park and his own 151^st Street apartment building.

But police don't take kindly to the alpine habits of this real-life Spiderman. "I was arrested once in Central Park for trying to rappel down a tree,"
says Klotzer. "You’re really supposed to have a
rigger’s permit to do this."

Even the threat of legal trouble cannot separate Klotzer from his passion for heights; he also indulges regularly in sky diving and bungee jumping.

When asked if it takes special courage to conquer heights on a regular basis, Klotzer shrugs. "No. You just have to be a little bit sick in the head."

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