A Night at the Coop

Aaron Swartz spends a night sleeping in front of the Coop in Harvard Square.

I made meticulous preparations. I took the bag and rolled it around in the dirt to scuff it up a big, so it didn't stand out so much (this really didn't do a whole lot, to be honest). Then I changed into sweatpants and a non-descript T-shirt. I left my shoes but put on a couple layers of socks, two subway fares and my keys. I buried the keys in a park by my house, spent one fare getting to Harvard Square, buried the other one inside Harvard, and then took my sleeping bag to a spot outside the Coop. The digital clock hovering over us read exactly 10:00.