On The Street

The word on the street is 'lugubrious'. I saw it painted in the middle of the intersection of 2nd and Columbia, defined as mournful. I think it's part of some strange SAT preparation program the city's trying out.

Last night, walking same streets, I was accosted by - wait, accosted is really a strong word choice - I was approached by a down and out, middle aged man. He gave me a "Sir? SIR?!," to get my attention. I'll usually remove my headphones for folks on the outside, way outside, chance that they're looking for directions or the time. About 99% of the time, when I'm approached by a complete stranger on the street, it's to spill a sad story and collect any sort of payment possible for said story.

I usually listen, I'll be their audience for their audacious stories of just trying to get enough money to call their brother, or to get a ride back to where their car had broke down outside of town, or how they were tourists and had trusted someone a little too much and ended up being robbed. I'll even pitch in when I can and toss some money down.

But I was tired last night, I'd had a long day and something about the ipod following up a Pavement song with an Edith Piaf song just really set me on edge. When this man gave me his two sirs, I simply shook my head and slowly stage whispered "no". "You don't even know what I want," he said. I kept walking, but really wanted to tell him that after 13 years of living in a city, I'm pretty well versed in what he wants. If he needed directions or the time or to ask what some of those mysterious Eskimo words for snow were, there were a number of people out on the sidewalks at the time.

I realized at the same time that I now get paid to spend 8+ hours a day listening to people across North America tell me sad stories in an attempt to grab a piece of a corporation's wealth. I have heard the dreaded combination of the words 'compensation', 'pain' and 'suffering' far too many times. I have now unfortunately adapted myself to being able to tell an injury scammer within 30 seconds of a telephone call. And I gotta tell you, this is not a skill I had particularly wanted to add to the resume of my life.

I remember distinctly when I went from purposefully taking a handful of change before walking down Haight Street, to simply ignoring the pleas for money. It's a constant hardening, an emotional calcification that lacks any beauty or nobility, that makes a soul unnecessarily heavier.


Song Stuck In My Mind Right Now: I am in a heavy Velvet Underground place right now, the last few days I have not been able to get enough. Today I'm going to give it to Sister Ray. Work it.