Homeless - 62

Greetings, fellow life forms,


Hope all is well with you but probably ain't due to the global financial difficulties. Oh, how we are sheep being fleeced...again. As it turns out, I'm probably one of the few that is weathering quite well the end of life as we know it, when you consider that the value I had in my retirement accounts at the onset of the crises is the same value that I have in those funds today...zero. Nuthin' from nuthin' leaves nuthin' or however the song goes. I was surprised that I wasn't hearing any news of distressed individuals initiating drastic actions because of the reduction of their financial status but this week I read a small article about people such as that. I suspect it is being downplayed considerably. I feel for them; it wasn't their fault but the failure of a system they trusted and believed in.


I've been sidetracked for the past 3 - 4 weeks by another writing project. Within the information dispersal system that I work...within...a short story writing contest was initiated with entries due by 9/30/08 with a constraint that the story be 3000 words or less. I thought that wouldn't be a problem and I could use the practice, maybe even receive feedback on the mechanics I employed in the construction. An idea came to me and I worked it. I was told by one of my esteemed co-workers that that would be around 10 pages double-spaced, 12 point Roman font. I didn't believe her. On the 29th after nearly 3 hours of typing the story in the requested format, I came to believe the young female human. I did a word count and the value returned was almost 3600 words and I was barely halfway through. I thought of chopping it up, reducing the scope and/or deleting some characters. I came to the conclusion that the story deserved more that that and I wasn't going to sacrifice the storyline for no stinkin' contest. Anyway, I'm putting the finishing touches on it now and the the last word count was around 9000.


Let's talk about cops and the homeless. Not sure of you but I've came across a news item now and them of how the homeless have not enjoyed the most nurturing relationships with the human authority figures who have lots and lots of weapons and backup and aerial surveillance and armed choppers and attack dogs and vicious attack sock puppets and...never mind. My experience in that regard has been just the opposite excluding a couple of instances.


The first instance I've mentioned in a previous entry. The second instance occurred 3 - 4 weeks ago around 4 AM. I had awakened for some odd reason and was having a smoke (a luxury, yes) when a cop cruiser whipped in, pulling up so close to the driver's side of BT that I couldn't have opened the door and get out if ordered. He shined one of those lights, one of the ones that can burn a retina out, that the cruisers have right in my face and asked what I was doing. I told him that I was having a cig and keeping an eye on the place and trying to catch a bit of sleep. Sometimes I'm too honest. He told me that it was illegal to sleep in a vehicle and he didn't want to see me here when he came back around again. He pulled out and left. I sat there, finished the smoke and thought fuck it - no place else to go, nothing else to do and went back to sleep. Hadn't seen him since.


In the rest of the encounters, they were concerned about my welfare, or at least, ascertaining that I was not Hannibal Lecter (tell me about the lambs, Clorice). They approached me by name - 'Mr. Jones' - and very respectful. Or maybe they just heard of the legendary Black Thunder


There was one time I was pausing at a ...pausing spot, working on the short story in the shade of trees in the late evening. The officer, a young man slightly built with a weapons belt that would make the Batman green with envy, approached and said that they were just checking on me due to the nature of the neighborhood. And I tell you it ain't the best. We talked a few minutes about where I worked, my current status, have I thought of staying at a homeless shelter (ain't happening) and my current endeavors. Now...let's take a side path for a moment. Once a month I buy 750 mils of Jack Daniels - ah, yes, the hair of the dog, that magical elixir that renders you bulletproof, ol' weasel spit. My limit is two drinks per occasion and for those of you that are thinking 'open container', I've taken note of the lawn care activities in my range and hide the bottle in a shrub here or there. When I want a taste, I visit the bush of choice (you know, that could be taken in another context that...never mind) for a couple of tastes, replace and move on. Anyway, I was working on my second taste and there ain't no way in hell he didn't smell it. He cautioned me about the location during the dark and I replied that I'm not going to be during here that time. He left and a few minutes later, so did I.


There was another instance of law leniency. I was traveling down a stretch of road that I...traveled many times before, keeping with the flow of traffic. As it turned out, the flow of traffic was doing warp 65 in a 45 MPH zone and, yes, I was selected out of the pack. I pulled over, kept my hands easily visible, he and his biceps approached and told me the situation. He was respectful, none of that gimme ten fingers on the hood, boy! crap. I showed him proof of insurance and license and he went back to the cruiser to do...what officers do in their cruisers. I was thinking I can't afford a ticket; hell, I can't even afford a place to live. Anyway, he gave me a warning and now I drive the speed limit through that area.


So, all in all, my experiences, to date, with cops, in my present circumstances, have been counter to what is generally believed.


Now, if only the global financial systems would reflect some of that same flexibility and understanding toward the common man before we decide to run amok.



Next time,

David