We're All In This Together

I hope Karrie hasn't gotten herself "throwed" in jail.

Bumville, Alabama

I woke up with $16.42 this morning. Last night I played at the spot and did fairly well. I was accosted by no less than a dozen street people seeking a cigarette or a dollar. They don't seem to be able to stand the blatant display of opulence which is my guitar case with more than five single bills in it. It is obnocuous and an affront to them. I need to work on getting a sleeping spot WAY out of downtown. A bike will be required but, first things first...

Street Lady Plays My Guitar, Then Becomes Belligerent

One lady, whom I let play my guitar and then refused to give a cigarette or a dollar to, became angry and verbally abusive. She gave me the line which is becoming all too familiar to me:

"We're all in this together (we homeless.) We need to look out for each other
and help each other out!"

She went off in a huff, wishing me facetiously a "good life." This is a veiled threat and implies that, without her looking out for me and helping me in turn; bad things might befall me; terrible things.

The "Crab" Mentality, A Review

Let us review "The Crab Mentality:"

When crabs are in a trap, and one of them begins to make progress in climbing up, out of the basket, the other crabs will latch on to it, attempting to use it as a handle to pull themselves up also. All of the crabs then come crashing down into the bottom of the basket, as the first crab is unable to proceed nor even maintain his status, due to the weight of his fellow crabs.

They are all in it (the basket) together!

The crabs are the street people. The basket is downtown Mobile, Alabama. I am the first crab, in the eyes of the street people, when I am playing well and making good tips.

The Lady who had played my guitar and then become belligerent, then told me that she was getting a check for 500 dollars "tomorrow." I decided to call her bluff, and, catching up to her after I knocked off, I gave her a dollar.

"Promise me you'll pay me back when you get your check?"

"Yeah, I get 200 dollars on the 10th of every month..." I thought it was 500; oh, well... I may have bought her off for less than the price of mosquito repellent.

A String Breaks

The reason I had knocked off is because one of my strings broke. This is the second time that a string has broken after I had allowed another street person to play my guitar. The lady possessed pedestrian skills at best, and her approach to music involved a frenzied flailing away at the strings producing a sloppy barrage of notes and punishing the strings at the same time. She did an interesting version of "Dust In The Wind," in this style.

The first time I let a Mobile street person play my guitar, it was some guy who strummed like a drunken madman (I'm not calling him a drunken madman, just talking music here...) Within a half hour of his handing me back my guitar, a string broke.

They Wonder

They wonder why I am so "anal" about letting them "hold" my guitar. They wonder why I am so "greedy" with my money. Well, strings cost money, and, if it was so important to them to play a guitar, they would own one themselves.

Status Of The ID

I talked to the guy at the Salvation Army who said that I should have enough information, even with only a "temporary membership" to the Social Club/Think-Tank which is 15 Place. He told me that they were out of funds, and that I would have to supply the 23 bucks myself. I left there and started heading here. I was asked for two dollars by one guy, who said that he didn't have any money for "lunch" (the "Wings of Life" mission which feeds free lunch every day right behind him in the near distance as he said this.)

Then a guy whom I had spoken to before in the park asked for a cigarette. I held my pack out, so that I wouldn't have to touch the filter of the one that I was offering. He took 2 (two) cigarettes. I slipped on that one...will I ever learn?

Now, I am at the library. I must play tonight because it is Friday. I hope to be ready on Monday to seek ID.