If You Have Nothing Nice To Say....

Not Even Coffee Money

It is Thursday. I woke up with 41 cents.
Last night, I played at Serda's Songwriter's Open Mic.
I was just passing by there at 10:30pm., when asked if I would play "Crazy About A Crazy Girl," by a kid who was sitting at one of the tables out in front of the place.

One of my strings had broken, earlier at my spot, and I told him so.
I had retuned it, to take advantage of the missing string, but I couldn't very well play the Crazy Girl song.

I had only made 2 or 3 bucks on my spot, and I had gone and drank both, or all three of them, before going to Serda's.The MC came out and asked me if I was going to play. I decided that it woudl be a chance to play "Crazy Girl" for the guy who wanted to hear it.
I played it to a crowd of about 8, and it got a fine round of cheers.

I then played "The Carcass song," by request, and it was also warmly recieved (excuse pun)
I only forgot the line:

"I hate it when the dogs are out there playing
With something which is decaying"

I left and went to my sleeping spot with just 41 cents, and no cigarettes.
It really didn't bother me that much.
My replacement food card has arrived at 15 Place. I picked it up yesterday.
15 No "Place" For Me
They told me NOT to use their address anymore, because I am not a member.

They are still refusing to give me a membership. I think it is because I am not pathetically helpless enough, nor good enough at pulling the wool over their eyes, and convincing them that I "will do whatever it takes to get off the street and put a roof over my head," even if it means using my every resource.

I think 15 Place gets some kind of kickback from the government for every unit of "Section 8" housing that they find an occupant for. They seem to be agents in that regard.

They don't seem to want to help me get a job, or a library card, or let me wash my clothes, or give me soap, or let me receive mail. I just don't qualify, based upon the 12 dollars that I might make on any given night. I can take care of myself.

I guess helping me, although it would be helpful to me, wouldn't help them in whatever their real goal is. That is my theory; I am not a veteran of sucking off of the system. I'm not even experienced enough to tell the right lies in order to become a "member" of a Day Center for the Homeless.

I have some wherewithal, some sense, some ability to help myself, and thus, I have been cast out.

If you're so smart, you ought to be able to fugure things out for yourself..good luck -Mr. McDonald .

Meanwhile, 15 Place is where one can go to buy food stamps illegally, as well as narcotics - fraudulently obtained by the poor denizens of that Place, (who don't have the wherewithal to help themselves, and have convinced the administration that they are sincerely trying to get off the street)
I guess it's just business. Some people do pretty damned well, running "not for profit" agencies.

Out Of Sight

Today, I went there to eat. I walked in towards the end of mealtime.

There was no line.

Mr. McDonald told me that I still needed a number, because he uses them to "count trays.'

I went up front and got a number, when I returned to the dining area, the serving line had been shut down, and he was nowhere in sight.