Walking Around

When I worked in downtown DC, right near Connecticut Ave and M St., I never noticed that many homeless people. On my day off, I decided to head in to the city to meet friends for drinks, but first as any good Catholic Boy I had to go to church because it was Good Friday. The only church close enough to where I was the Cathedral of St. Matthews. It is a beautiful church inside and out, but there is one problem the homeless camped out on the steps and around the building. They believe a person attending mass will have a kind heart and give them the money they sorely need for their nightly libation.

However, this guy does not give money out like that. I'm not heartless or stingy with my money, I just don't want to contribute to their current alcoholic state. Sometimes, I ask them if they are hungry and if they say yes I will take them to restaurant and ask them what they want that is with in reason.

Entering St. Matthews is an obstacle course trying to avoid all the homeless that are yelling at you for money and then saying snide comments as you walk passed them. I'm not fazed by it and enter the church. The nice women hands me a program for today's mass. Uh, Oh, the program is in Spanish. I kindly ask the woman where is the schedule for the Easter Events and she provides one for me. Thanks. Shit, the 4:00 is Spanish. Well, I guess 5 years of Spanish will get me by.

The mass ended and I had sometime to kill before meeting up with friends for what turned out to be a night of debauchery. (I know, save it) Well, I proceeded to walk down Connecticut then K St. noticing this blond homeless woman with her exposed stinky feet. Thinking to myself, she is not going to get that much money with her feet exposed like that. I then walk pass the Metro where a man is yelling, "Common Sense, one dollar, one dollar, one dollar one dollar......" well you get what I mean. Walking up Connecticut Ave I pass the nice homeless man in front of the Mayflower after asking money from me for the second time he pursues me up the street, but not to far because he might lose his prime real estate in front of the Mayflower. The homeless are very territorial and don't want to lose their place where the wealth patronize such as the Mayflower or St. Matthews.

Finally, I decided to head to the Front Page to have some drinks but before I get there I'm accosted by the Larouche minions. They hand me some of their propaganda stating the war was started by Halliburton and other corporations. The follower asks what do you think of Lyndon, I said I believe he is a nut. Further more, your facts about these companies better be correct or you will be sued by them. I gave him the magazine back and told him I don't want the free rag because the articles were unfair, bias and did not present a balanced argument. I finally crossed the street to relax and begin my night of Gin and Tonics. What a day. DC is fun to people watch and I thought San Francisco was bad with the homeless. Well, at least I still have not seen used condoms or feces left on the side walks by the homeless as I did in the city by the bay.