I am a commuter and as such I drive by the same corners, intersections, and sit in the same spots in Miami every day, twice a day (there and back gain).  I used to drive different routes every other day to confuse would-be kidnappers and assassins, but the time it took became worth more than my life, at least to anyone I could think of, other than my wife.  My point is that I spend a fair amount of time seeing the same scenery every day.  And one of the things I see is the panhandlers who are there at 7:30 AM and there again at 6:30 in the evening, 5 days a week.  The same people, the same corners, which are apparently assigned by a governmental agency, because you never, ever see anyone other than the ‘regular’ on their corner.   They are a routinely pathetic type of person.  They almost always have a limp to go along with their disgustingly filthy clothing while they shuffle along, offering you a paper cup which you peer into through your tightly rolled up window, careful to not make too much eye contact.  The really good ones have a dog with them to further tug at your gullible heart-strings.  Anyway, when you see the same people (Are we so politically correct that we can’t call them BUMS anymore?) every day they become a part of your day, kind of like co-workers.  They’re actually a little less annoying than some people I’ve worked with.  And you get to see them in less ‘prepared’ moments like when they’re taking a swig of their malt liquor behind the bush or going over to the Amoco for a bathroom break.

It’s not a lot better with the people who walk up and down the stopped traffic selling stuff.  In Miami these folks offer everything from flyers on getting your transmission fixed to buying flowers or weird, Latin American fruits and nuts wrapped in what appears to be butcher paper.   I really enjoy having the option of buying a coco frio from a guy in traffic.  For those of you who live in America it is, very simply, a chilled coconut with its top lopped off (usually with a machete) and a straw inserted for your convenience.   Don’t think for a moment that I’m making this up.  Just for the record, I do not support any of these people, regardless of their cause or need.  I gave at the office.

It pisses me off to sit in my car in the United States of America, well actually it’s Miami, and have to avert my eyes because I’m sitting at an intersection that belongs to one of these well established bums.  It’s an intrusion on my mobile space, and I want to know if they’re paying their share of taxes!  I rather doubt it or that Coconut would be $1.06 with tax.   I’d like to see the cops spend more time cleaning this problem up rather than giving out traffic tickets to the people who live here.

I’ve got another special place in my heart for phone solicitors, but
I'm out of space this week. We'll cover that one another time.

Cheers!