Recap (Day 47)

Monday morning. Christmas day. Woke up late, at around 8:30AM, but knowing that BK would be closed i knew i'd have no breakfast. I took my time to get dressed and made my way to the turnpike, and started to sign at 9:30AM. Things went rather well, so by 12:30PM i moved to the Glades corner and continued there for about an hour. I ended up getting some sandwiches from someone, breakfast was covered.

I headed over to the Mobil gas station where i knew Timmy would be. Lucky hippie, made $50 in a few minutes, a single bill from a generous lady. He made more then than i had for hours, and he didn't even had to sing with his guitar for it! But he wasn't greedy, neither was I. I had promised to give him $2 for a beer and even after he got lucky i gave him the $2, i don't like to break my word.

Rico was with him and i gave him some Hershey candy and some cookies i had been given earlier today.

Some dude in a car gave us 3 budweissers, and since it's christmas day, i was given one. Hey, it's a holiday so i drank mine. Then Timmy bought some Tilt's (alcoholic drink) for me and Rico. Yup, drank it. I ate 2 of my sandwiches, saved the other 2 for the next day.

I got a buzz, since i rarely drink the alcohol has a stronger effect on me. I decided to head to State Road 7 (also known as 441) on my bike, quite slowly. I end up meeting with some homeless dude (forgot his name) behind the Methodist Church while I was looking for Paulie to wish him a happy holiday, guy gives me a beer (#3 of the day) and we talk a bit about Sheri (the homeless that got ran over).

I get to Frank's corner, and of course he was there. Asked me to look over his stuff while he did something, 30 mins later he comes and then says he is leaving. I sign for a bit then Del asks me to give him the corner, i said no problem of course.

I leave and i'm going back towards Mobil to try and find Timmy. On the way there i find Rico and he's also looking for Timmy. We split up to see if we can find him.

I end up at the corner off Glades and Lyons in front of the National Bank. The dude who gave me the beer is there, Andy is there (a homeless i know for a bit), Joe who introduces himself and a guy and his girlfriend (and she doesn't look homeless at all).

She asks me how long i've been homeless, my name, etc. I guess the normal things a female would ask in that situation. Things were going fine. The dude who had given me a beer earlier even bought my santa hat (which i had found earlier) for $5 which was cool and shared a big bag of food someone gave him. Pies, ham, stuffing, it looked like a lot of leftovers from a christmas diner.

I digged in a bit, then the dude with a girlfriend (sorry but i really don't remember these people's names and you will find out soon why) asks me to leave, telling me "out of respect". I was confused as to what the respect part reffered but i left anyways.

I'm about to head home when i see Timmy across the street talking to Paulie, i ride over, wish Paulie a merry xmas and tell Timmy what happened. He says not to worry and to head back to the spot and hang out with them. I knew Timmy has been around a few years so I go back with him.

Things were a bit tense but it seemed ok. For a while, i even talked to Andy a bit. Joe throws down a bag of marihuana for either Andy or Timmy to roll (i had no intention to smoke that, i quit that a long time ago and wasn't about to start again. I'm drinking a Tilt Timmy had bought me. Then the same dude who had asked me to leave gives me looks that could kill. I had a bad feeling.

He gets up and his friend (the guy who had bought the santa hat from me) holds him back and i know something is wrong. He is telling me to leave, that i'm scaring his girlfriend...then i remember that she had been whispering in his ear, so that is what she was doing.

So much for holdiday spirit huh?

His friend tells me to "get the fuck out of here!" and i get up to leave. I had enough of the nonsense. These people were not drunk or high (nobody had smoked yet), they were just sober morons.

I get to my bike and Mr. Boyfriend-on-a-leash walks behind me and i can spot he has a knife on his right hand. Yup, trouble.

I had two choices. Get off the bike, pull my knife and stand my ground with the possibility of someone getting hurt (and maybe arrested) or keep riding away and let it go. It was an easy choice. I kept riding. I would gain nothing by hurting him, or standing up to him

I heard his friend screaming at Timmy and Joe trying to say that Tim was an ok guy. I didn't like leaving Timmy there, but in the position i am, i would only risk my neck for Dwayne or JC...anyone else is on their own.

One thing is taking a calculated risk by standing up to a bully trying to take a corner i got to first, another is having to face a moron with a knife at night and his friend (who may also have a weapon).

I went over to Paulie, and he said that is why he stayed away from them. He doesn't like trouble, and i can't blame him. He told me to wish JC and Hobo a merry xmas, so that is where i headed next.

I knew JC would be alone, and i was right. Dwayne would be with his sister another 2 days. I wished him a merry christmas and gave him Paulie's regards. He was watching "Master and Commander" with Russell Crowe so i stayed and watched it with him. Afterwards i told him to take care of himself and went to my tent.

I felt bad about Timmy, so i came out and headed to his camp, i found his tent and him next to it. He was ok, thank god. Timmy explained he stayed long enough to smoke a joint (heh, of course) and then was told to leave. I guess Joe kept him there as long as possible.

Rico showed up a bit later and i was glad he was ok, since apparently he went to the same spot and "the girlfriend" told him right away he had to leave.

I won't be associating with those 3 nuckleheads again, not sure about Joe tho. I know that Andy stood up for me after i left and he also stood up for Timmy.

I left their camp and went home. I couldn't read, was not in the mindset to do so, neither was i up to learn japanese (got a basic course on CD from the library), so i just listened to the radio. I ended up going to sleep at 3AM, it was hard to fall asleep, i kept my knife near me. I was not afraid of anyone trying to come for me, but i was on self defense mode for hours. Just because i don't fear death it doesn't mean i should put my guard down.