Good Afternoon;
Well, NOT the best day cashflow-wise. I was out on the corner about 1:00 pm., the Mt. Royal side of North Ave. not the I-83 exit ramp.
Why you ask? Because the alcoholic guy who lives above the liquor store, despite the "homeless" sign he carries was already there.
I was out thee for about 90 minutes and just about to switch sides of the street because he had been gone for 30 minutes when the couple who split their time between the North Ave. Motel and under the Howard Street bridge, when the choice is a room or booze, showed up. Now both sets of these panhandlers can be classed as 'aggressive'. Walking up and down between the lanes in traffic, at times knocking on windows, or just getting 'in your face' if the windows are open. The type that make it hard for the non-offensive and peaceful.
And sure enough as soon as the shift changed at 2:00 pm., here comes a cop cruising and then sitting and watching from a block away. I put my sign away and was getting a drink from my bag when he pulled up next to me. I looked at him and nodded and he just looked back, neutrally, as I picked up and walked away. He then drove around the block and stopped on the ramp and was speaking and gesturing in a forceful manner at the long haired bearded guy with the cane. It was too far away to hear, but the body language seemed to indicate a confrontation. These folks were being run off the corner when I was last out there on a regular basis, about 2 years ago. Looking at them is like looking at a picture of a stereotypical homeless couple. On a purely visual level, their lack of personal hygiene and disregard for the condition of their clothing shouts 'bum', or 'hobo'.
(And I will admit to a certain amount of prejudice in this particular case because I have had interaction with them before, and seen and heard behaviors that reinforce my opinion.)
[As I often state, "Homeless does not have to equal derelict!]
So I missed my chance for a bountiful day by not getting out in time, (I could see that the first guy was being called over to a lot of cars), and then waiting too long to transfer over.
$5.00 and one man bought 2 candy bar, and another said keep it and gave me the $1.00 anyway. Nice of him, wasn't it. Well tomorrow, Monday, I'm going to get out there at 6:00 am., + or - 15 minutes, for morning rush hour. I need money for food, meds, a monthly bus pass, Channukah presents for Rachel, and basic hygiene items and some cold weather clothing items. Plus just having money in pocket for the sake of having some discretionary cash.
I'm going to figure out something to eat now, it's been a coffee, coookie, and choclate bar day, food wise.
Later................Dave
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