"Every Picture Tells A Story"-- Rod Stewart Album Title.
The story this picture tells as I see it:
Four typical city workers-presumably city maintenance workers,- obviously union men, standing around talking, doing nothing that is obviously constructive. Presumably, just out of camera range there is one lone worker, the youngest and/or newest on the crew, who is actually doing something useful such as sweeping, shoveling, or drilling etc.
Also note the woefully deteriorated condition of Gerrard Street.
If you want, just call me a cynic.