Since moving to the city, I have quickly realized that homeless antics are always fun party conversations. Everyone always has a funny homeless person story because homeless people are often on drugs or they are super creative at trying to get change or food. I once met a homeless women who stopped me, smiled so big and said, "Do you have any change? I LOVE YOU!" I gave her everything I had. Also, there are some famous homeless people around Boston that everyone knows: the guy who raps for money, the mexican auctioneer on his bicycle, the man who growls "ya'll got any spare change" on a loop all day etc. The homeless man who has set up camp at my bus stop, however, is soon to be one of these famed homeless people.
This man is the most frank, honest man I've ever met. When he wants something, he will get your attention, make eye contact with you and simply ask for it. He'd be a great actor. No shame, no tricks, no jokes or cleverness. Just pure truthfulness. For instance, almost every time I see him, he'll tap me on the shoulder and say, "Do you have any change I can borrow?" Pshaw! As if he's gonna pay me back later. But, one day the bus was broken down and it was a large crowd of upset people waiting in the cold with this homeless man. He asked me for a cigarette. And then he asked another lady if she had a dollar. And then he asked a man if he had a hamburger. And then... in the dead silence of this crowd, to no one in particular, he asks, "Does anyone got any cocaine?"
It just amazes me how he can just think of the thing he needs at that moment, turn to the person closest by and ask them for it. It's wonderfully simple, actually. He never gets upset when people turn him down. It's as if he just wanted to know if you have it or not. I was saddened yesterday, though, when I heard him tell another homeless person that he was headed to California. I will miss him. And I'm jealous that he can afford to get to California when I can't afford to turn on my heat. Guess his tactics work!
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