Seeking solace and a blessed place to say her prayers, Streetgirl flew her sign yesterday, straddling the curb and strolling up and down the intersection. Those same paths that her panning peer, so-tagged ‘The Veteran’, had ambled thousands of times. It was cold and she was dressed warmly, but they’d been out in far worse weather and enjoyed it too; a freedom of sorts. If it was Joe he would be wearing a toque, thin shirt under the jacket he wore year-round day and night, rarely removed, and sandals without socks; even though someone had gifted him a brand new pair of boots two months before his passing. Thrilled to tell the tale, how he’d been snoozing in the sun behind the gas station when a guy came by and offered to take him to Canadian Tire to buy a brand new jacket and footwear. One of so many kind gestures afforded him by strangers. That night they dumped his dirty smelly old coat down the garbage shoot in her building as a ceremonial gesture and he wore the new one until the day he died. Continue reading “Quotes from Streets: Farewell Friend”
Tag: panhandling
Quotes from Streets: Musical Trivia!
A five dollar bill visible in one hand the woman pokes her head partway out the window and says, “Quick question. Who is the composer?”
Never been strong on trivia, perhaps due to perceived trauma Christmas 1980, 20 years old and playing the brand new board game sensation “Trivial Pursuit” with the family, led by an intellectual and dominating father and two older smarty-pants brothers; she was bound to lose. However, today the unmistakable ominous first four notes of “Symphony No. 5” coming from inside the car jogged Streetgirl’s mind to emit an immediate unwavering response.
“Beethoven!”
And the music lover passes the money with a smile, “you win”.
A Dog’s Eye View – Time does Heel!
By the way, of course I realize that I spelled heal incorrectly in the title of this tail. The moral of the following story is to pay attention to your instincts and slow down People! Continue reading “A Dog’s Eye View – Time does Heel!”
A Dog’s Eye View- Rooting About with The Kid!
Quotes from Streets: It is what it is!
“I yam what I yam and that’s all that I yam,” Popeye the Sailor Man.
“Do you want a job?” the middle aged man inquires while idling his pickup with a younger co-worker smiling and digging his pocket for change in the passenger seat. Not the first time someone has asked her this, before departing on the green light without a solid lead.
“What kind of job?” the panhandler replies, curious as always. Continue reading “Quotes from Streets: It is what it is!”
Quotes from Streets: “Stay Warm!”
January 2018: “Stay warm,” the man said to the panhandler in sincerity passing her a bag of stuff.
When she got home after pulling off the many layers and warming up a while, Streetgirl unpacked the contents, crackers, chocolate, and Campbell’s Beef Broth. The can was strangely heavy. Hearing loud rattling when shaken, she put it down quickly; because for a second it flashed that the product could have been sabotaged and might possibly explode in her hands. Panners are sometimes targeted by haters and there are those who will not consume food or drink given them for fear of poisoning. Once, a young man spit in a coffee, passed it to her, and laughed with his friends as he drove away. She has heard far worse stories. Cautious yes, but it’s not like her to be paranoid, so she picks it back up and realizes that while the outside is no longer cold, nor is she, the soup inside is frozen and a shiver runs up her spine. Continue reading “Quotes from Streets: “Stay Warm!””
