Raindogblue

Searching

 

 

It's wet. It's late. I've grabbed dinner at the Egyptian food cart. The one with the lamb over rice.  

As I sit down I the prowler, a homeless man approaches the garage can next to me. He's layered in army coats and tattered flappy hats. His gaze is down. He's avoiding  eye contact even though he is three feet away. I watch him open one food container after another, searching for something inside.

I roll my window down.

You lookin' for something to eat?

He glances up and returns to his search.

"Yeah."

Come here..... to the front of the car.  I have plenty.

I open the take out box and show him inside.

He steps closer. 

He's scared and Schizophrenic and hungry enough to come close to a police car.

Stay here.

I exit the car and walk back to the cart. The cook behind the counter hands me a fork and a plate.

I grab the box and dish the homeless man half: Fish, rice, salad, dolma.

His eyes are big.

"Are you sure?"

Are you hungry?

"Yes!.. but....."

I catch his eyes.

I don't like people eating garbage.

"Are you sure?"

It's yours.

I hand him the steaming plate with the fork on top.

He cups the plate, stares down, and breathes in.

I close the box and turn to wish him good bye, but he's already vanished into the night.

 

 

 

 

 

Chasing Dragons

 

Under stairs,  

in the Alphabet District,  

an addict is on the nod. 

He is laying in a layer 

of moldering garbage 

and orange needle caps.

Despite the rain squall, 

the prevailing odor is piss.

His pants are down, 

a rig stuck in his prick.

He wakes for medical.

He's not high enough 

for the hospital.

 

 

 

 

Beach

 

 

 

 

Faith

 

It's Tuesday. It's Taco Night.

I am meeting Midnight Man

at the taco bar in the Alphabet Blocks.

I walk in and hand the gal

behind the counter police stickers

for her kids children.

 

She smiles and waves up her co-worker.

The woman says, "There was a weird man in here."

The woman behind the counter said to her,

"But the policemen will come to eat here soon

and everything will alright." 

 

He left before I arrived.

 

 

 

 

Sand

 

 

 

 

Fountain: One

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Haystack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Post From H.

 

 

21 years. Twenty-one Years. 

Because, yes, we count. Every day. There is a lot of perspective in marking The Man's completion of 21 years of being on the job, while his brother is in the ICU recovering from the latest round of reconstructive surgery from his in-the-line-of-duty gunshot wound of 2 1/2 years ago. Be strong. Be kind. Come home.