And on Saturday, November 2, 2019, in the city I find myself living, (I am proudly from Pittsburgh, and always will be), at 6:29 Pacific Coast Time, as I walked home from the gym, listening to music from my very favorite and sadly NOW relevant Musical called “Ragtime”, I passed yet another person, living on the streets, carrying as many plastic bags as possible, his T-shirt might have had some words on it, but the smudges were too prevalent and muddied for me to read, his pants had rips on both legs, and I am certain from the belt he used, it too had no more room for one more hole to be cut into it for his body was wasted way too much for the belt to be of use. He did not ask for money, but I felt it necessary to just hand him some and walk away as fast as I could, because I did not want him to feel ashamed, and I did not want any great honor bestowed upon me for just reacting HUMAN!
In my hurry, to avoid being thanked, it seems I had not had enough time to avoid two young women walking toward me, both on their phones. I came awfully close to tripping on one while the other shouted “oh gross,” on the phone. The OTHER, continued, not stopping to help her friend who had tripped, by saying on the phone, “this old homeless guy almost touched Elaine…” Elaine, I suppose the one who tripped, still holding the phone, but placing it to her side, looked at me and said “Really!” Before I explain both my verbal and physical reaction, I will describe the clothes these young LA women were wearing, because honestly what they were wearing IS the point of this RANT. Both young women were wearing very finely cut jeans, the precision was perfect, and the artistry amazing! (Kudos to the designer who must have been laughing out loud as he or she prepared cut up jeans selling for at least $150). Both women were also wearing T-shirts, with no muddied muted spot, and each woman’s T-Shirt read, “Love it, We Live it!”
Now back to ME, and my Trumpian Mad Cow Mood, where the wealth discrepancy, has grown and grown, (and the amazing thing is that the poorest of the poor are unaware of just how much poverty-ridden they have become, but since Racism “trumps”, fundamental needs, they could give a fuck) and in one instant I run into opposite land. Now, I can no longer give a shit, let alone two shits…To the “oh gross woman, I said, ask your parents why they insisted on having you even though the abortion failed…to the Elaine person, I stood still and said, Gurl, you know you want this!” I felt immature and walked away, but I had a HUGE smile on my face. I have grown angry, bitter, full of angst, pissed off, and totally confused with the world in which I find myself living. And I will NOT take it anymore! Love and Kisses, Gerry Buncher
