One afternoon in 1969 Patti Smith peered into the glass hatches of an Automat, a cafeteria which dispensed cheap food from vending machines. It was one of the musician’s favourite places to eat in New York—she was particularly fond of the chicken pies—but on that occasion was longing for a cheese-and-lettuce sandwich. Seeing that she was shy of the 65 cents required, Allen Ginsberg came to her rescue. (Ms Smith says the poet mistook her for a “very pretty boy” at the time; they would later become close friends.)