More characters in SF...

I have heard good things about what Portland has been doing for their homeless population. http://www.portlandonline.com/BHCD/index.cfm?c=30140

The weird thing is that I have not thought much about the homeless lately. I usually give this issue deep thoughts once a day when I pass them going to or leaving work. Now that I am settled into my daily routine, it feels like I have not seen many homeless. But that is not actually so. I saw 3 this afternoon just walking down the block to catch my bus. It is like I am getting numb to it. Which is kind of scary and kind of comforting because it makes my day easier. And that is scary too.

Today I saw a dark skinned woman who was sitting with her legs stretched out across the sidewalk. When I first noticed her, I thought it must be some eccentric tourist person because she had a really trim short haircut and was wearing bright colors. Then I got closer and saw how skinny she was. I noticed her cheekbones almost right after I noticed her. Then I walked passed and smelled some really strong human body odor that seemed to follow me.

Barely 15 ft further down the same sidewalk was a pale girl who was wearing a cream dress that had the lace like a tutu. She was sitting very straight on her knees and asking for spare change. She didn't seem to be talking to the people passing by, it was more of an announcement. Can you spare change?

I rounded the corner to see a white guy with the tips of his gloves cut off, holding a cardboard sign. I didn't read what it said. he was sitting next to the entrance to the mall.

On the next corner was an old bearded black man holding a cup swirling his change around. He was saying, can you help me out?

I think i get why this numbness has started to set in. It is emotionally draining not to be numb when I walk one block to the bus stop.

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So on the upside they have started to treat the clerks pretty well. We lobbied to get included in the legal team meetings and finally won. (so ridiculous that we were excluded btw)

I get to drink the soda in the fridge at work for free. I had 3 free diet cokes today :)

I also got some hellishly big research task that the attorney wanted 2 seconds ago, and I am silly enough to feel bad that I didn't get it done.